On August 20, 2025, the International Criminal Court (ICC) Registry made public a striking development: 303 individuals had formally applied to be recognized as victims in the case against former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte over his controversial war on drugs. This figure, while significant, is considered by many to be just a fraction of the total number of people affected by the campaign that rocked the Philippines and drew global scrutiny.
The Registry’s 14-page report, posted on the ICC’s website, notes that the first of these applications arrived on July 25 and the last on August 15. The process, coordinated by the ICC’s Victims Participation and Reparations Section (VPRS), involved extensive outreach and support. Application forms were made available in Tagalog, Cebuano, English, and French, and applicants received guidance to ensure their stories and identities were accurately represented. The Registry stated, “the VPRS informed them about victims’ rights at the current stage of proceedings, consulted them on the methodology and design of the victims’ participation process, the tools to be used (i.e., the individual and the household form).”
Applicants were required to submit a range of identification documents—voter’s IDs, barangay IDs, Social Security System member data, baptismal certificates, and sometimes affidavits certified by the Public Attorney’s Office. Where appropriate, proof of kinship was also necessary to establish relationships with the direct victims. The Registry emphasized that preliminary investigations were conducted to verify both the natural identity of applicants and the nature of the harm they suffered, ensuring these were indeed linked to the crimes charged against Duterte.
The numbers themselves are telling. Official government data puts the death toll from the drug war at around 6,000 to 7,000, while human rights groups argue the true number of victims may be closer to 20,000 or even 30,000, accounting for unreported cases. The Registry acknowledged that the 303 applications represent “a limited figure compared to the number of WoD victims who wish to participate in the case.”
But behind every application is a story—and, often, a plea for justice. The Registry included a selection of quotes from the third batch of applications to ensure the voices of survivors reach the judges. One parent shared, “the pain has not faded,” recalling that their son “was not treated with dignity” even in death. Another described the trauma triggered by the sound of a police patrol car, saying, “I would imagine the bodies of my sons thrown into a patrol car that day.” For many, the desire is not only for personal justice but also for the world to understand the injustices of the era. As one applicant put it, “[The applicant] wishes to make the situation and injustices of the era known to the world and obtain personal justice and redress as well as support for the other victims.”
The legal proceedings themselves are moving forward at a brisk pace. Duterte, who was arrested in the Philippines on March 11, 2025, by local authorities, now sits in detention at Scheveningen Prison in The Hague. According to GMA Integrated News, he first appeared before the ICC via video link on March 14, where he was read the charges and informed of his rights under the Rome Statute. The hearing to confirm charges of murder as a crime against humanity is scheduled for September 23, 2025, and could last up to three days. ICC spokesperson Fadi El Abdallah explained, “The prosecutor will be presenting certain amount of evidence on which he intends to rely for the purpose of the confirmation of the charges and in which the defense can actually be presenting counter evidence, and also the lawyers presenting the victims will be able to make their observations.”
Not all witnesses are victims, and not all victims are called as witnesses. “Actually most of the witnesses are not victims. And not all the victims are witnesses. Actually a very limited number of victims would be called to be a witness and normally, most of the victims will be represented by a lawyer,” Abdallah noted. In rare instances, the judges may allow one or two victims to appear in person to share their stories—not to accuse, but to offer their perspective to the court. The pre-trial chamber judges will then decide whether to dismiss the case or refer it for trial.
Yet, as the legal machinery grinds on in The Hague, the case has become a flashpoint in both Philippine and international politics. On August 24, 2025, the US State Department designated four ICC officials for sanctions under Executive Order 14203, including Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang. The order targets foreign persons allegedly involved in ICC actions against the US, Israel, and their allies—specifically, investigations, arrests, or prosecutions conducted without those countries’ consent.
Niang’s inclusion is particularly notable in the context of the Duterte proceedings. According to the DAILY TRIBUNE, Niang opposed Duterte’s bid for interim release in a June 2025 filing, arguing that Duterte should remain in custody to ensure his appearance at trial. Niang cited Duterte’s own statements, including his claim that arresting officers would “just have to kill [him]” to bring him to court, as evidence of his unwillingness to accept the legitimacy of the proceedings. The filing also referenced an incident involving Duterte’s partner, Honeylet Avanceña, who was seen on video striking an arresting officer with her phone, and noted claims by Duterte’s family and supporters that he was “kidnapped or abducted.”
The US sanctions have only intensified the debate in the Philippines. Duterte’s allies, such as Benito Ranque, argue that the inclusion of Niang among the sanctioned officials is proof that the ICC process is compromised and politically motivated. For human rights advocates, however, the sanctions are seen as a political maneuver by the US that is unlikely to alter the court’s handling of the drug war cases. As DAILY TRIBUNE observed, “What’s clear is that the move has intensified an already charged legal and political standoff—one that now stretches from The Hague to Washington and back to Manila—where every filing, quote and designation feeds into the larger battle over accountability, sovereignty and the rule of law.”
As the September 23 hearing approaches, all eyes are on the ICC. The voices of victims, the actions of international actors, and the arguments of Duterte’s supporters and critics alike will shape not only the fate of one man, but the contours of justice and accountability in the Philippines for years to come.
