The indictment was filed with the court on July 4, a redacted copy of which has now been made public. In it, ICC prosecutors accuse Duterte of “authorizing and directing violent and lethal actions against alleged criminals.” According to the indictment, most of the victims were alleged drug dealers and drug addicts killed as part of so-called “anti-drug operations.”

The charges are filed in three stages:

1.First Charge: Between 2013 and 2016, when Duterte was mayor of Davao City, 19 peoplewere murdered. The prosecution claims that local police and so-called “death squads” were involved in these killings.

2.Second Charge: After Duterte became president, 14 more murders were reported between 2016 and 2017. These killings were alleged to have been carried out as part of his national “drug war” campaign.

3. Third and most serious charge:

43 people were killed in “clean-up operations” between 2016 and 2018, which have been termed extrajudicial killings.

Arrest and Current Status:

In March 2025, Philippine authorities detained Duterte based on an arrest warrant issued by the ICC. He was later extradited to the Netherlands, where he is being held in an ICC-approved prison.

Duterte, his family, or his legal team have yet to publicly respond to the allegations. However, the former president repeatedly stated during his tenure that he never authorized extrajudicial killings, even though he publicly threatened to kill drug offenders.

Political Turmoil and Legal Complications:

Political turmoil has intensified following Duterte’s arrest. His supporters have criticized current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., calling it a political vendetta. They claim Duterte has been tried before a court whose legality raises questions about Philippine sovereignty.

The ICC hearing was scheduled to begin on Tuesday, but Duterte’s legal team argued that their client was physically and mentally unfit to stand trial. In light of this, the court has postponed the hearing.

International Eyes on the ICC

This case is considered a crucial test not only for the Philippines, but for the entire international justice system. If Duterte is convicted, it would be the first time a former head of state has been convicted of crimes against humanity over a domestic policy such as the drug war.

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