The International Criminal Court (ICC) has formally charged former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte with crimes against humanity, citing his alleged role in a brutal anti-drug campaign that claimed thousands of lives.
Duterte, 80, stands accused of being "indirectly co-perpetrator" in dozens of extrajudicial killings carried out under the banner of his controversial war on drugs. The charges, detailed in a partially redacted indictment dated July but made public on Monday, mark a historic first: Duterte is the first former Asian head of state to be indicted by the ICC.
ICC deputy prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang stated that Duterte shares responsibility for a wave of killings conducted by security forces and other actors under his leadership.
The first charge focuses on Duterte's tenure as mayor of Davao City from 2013 to 2016, during which 19 alleged killings occurred. The second and third charges cover his presidency from 2016 to 2022, including the murder of 14 so-called "high-value targets" and the murder or attempted murder of 45 individuals in village clearance operations.
Prosecutors allege that Duterte and his collaborators orchestrated a campaign to "neutralise" individuals suspected of drug-related activities through violence, including murder, without due process. The ICC contends that this campaign reflected a "common plan" involving both state and non-state actors.
Although official figures report more than 6,000 deaths under Duterte’s anti-drug operations, human rights groups estimate the toll could be in the tens of thousands. The former president has repeatedly defended his crackdown, framing it as a necessary step to eliminate street-level crime.
Duterte has been in ICC custody in The Hague since March. His legal team claims he is unfit to stand trial due to deteriorating health. Despite this, he was re-elected mayor of Davao in May while imprisoned. His son, Sebastian Duterte, has remained in charge as acting mayor since 2022.
The charges have stirred political tensions in the Philippines, with Duterte's supporters accusing current President Ferdinand Marcos of using the ICC as a tool to undermine the Duterte family's influence. Marcos had previously dismissed the possibility of cooperating with the ICC, though Duterte's transfer to The Hague indicates a shift.
The ICC has no enforcement power to arrest suspects without cooperation from national governments — cooperation that is often withheld. Duterte is the first suspect in over three years to be transferred to the court’s custody.
Source: BBC
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