Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte faces ICC trial over drug war killings

Judges at the International Criminal Court have upheld charges of crimes against humanity against former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte over the deadly anti-drug campaign carried out during his time in power.

A three-member panel unanimously ruled that there are “substantial grounds” to believe Duterte was responsible for numerous killings, both during his tenure as mayor of Davao and later as president from 2016 to 2022.

Duterte, now 81, was arrested in the Philippines last year and transferred to The Hague to face proceedings. He has denied all allegations.

In their 50-page ruling, the judges concluded that evidence suggests Duterte “developed, disseminated and implemented” a policy aimed at “neutralizing” suspected criminals.

Prosecutors allege that, beginning in 2011, police officers and hit squads carried out killings on Duterte’s orders, driven by financial rewards or fear of becoming targets themselves. Deputy prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang told pretrial hearings that for some perpetrators, “killing reached the level of a perverse form of competition.”

Estimates of those killed during the anti-drug campaign vary widely, from more than 6,000 recorded by police to as many as 30,000 according to human rights organizations.

Prosecutors described the confirmation of charges as “a significant milestone” in efforts to ensure accountability.

However, Duterte’s lead defence lawyer, Nick Kaufman, criticised the ruling, arguing it relies on “uncorroborated statements of vicious self-confessed murderers acting as cooperating witnesses.”

A date for the trial has yet to be announced. Duterte has waived his right to attend hearings in person, although judges previously ruled he is fit to stand trial after earlier health concerns.

In the Philippines, families of victims welcomed the decision, seeing it as a step toward justice. Randy delos Santos said the ruling honours victims “who were not even given the chance to be recognized,” adding that many were reduced to “numbers and statistics.”

Human rights advocates also praised the move. Maria Elena Vignoli stated that the trial would send “a powerful message” that no one is above the law.

The ICC first launched a preliminary probe into the killings in 2018. Shortly afterward, Duterte announced the Philippines’ withdrawal from the court; a move widely seen by activists as an attempt to avoid accountability.

Earlier this week, appeals judges dismissed a request by Duterte’s legal team to drop the case on jurisdictional grounds following that withdrawal.

Separately, the court removed chief prosecutor Karim Khan from the case, citing a “reasonable appearance of bias,” as he had previously represented victims linked to the allegations.

Source: CNN

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