By Brian Campued
Malacañang on Thursday said it respects the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) latest ruling on the confirmation of charges against former President Rodrigo Duterte.
In a message to reporters, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said both the defense and the prosecution would benefit from the latest ruling as the end goal is still bringing justice to the victims of the Duterte administration’s drug war.
“We respect the ruling of ICC that confirms all charges of crimes against humanity against the former President Duterte,” Castro said.
“Hustisya ang kailangan makuha sa mga kasong ito. Parehong partido ang makikinabang rito—hustisya para sa akusado kung walang sala, o hustisya rin sa mga biktima kung naabuso naman ang kanilang karapatan.”
The Pre-Trial Chamber I on Thursday confirmed all three counts of crimes against humanity against Duterte, who has been detained in the ICC Detention Center in Scheveningen, in The Hague, Netherlands since March 2025.
In its decision dated April 23, the Pre-Trial Chamber I concluded that there are “substantial grounds” to believe that Duterte is responsible for the crimes against humanity of murder and attempted murder allegedly committed during the campaign against illegal drugs under his term as mayor of Davao City and as Philippine president.
The chamber said the crimes were committed as part of a “widespread and systematic attack against a civilian population” in the Philippines between Nov. 1, 2011 to March 16, 2019, in the context of the “war on drugs” campaign.
It added that the decision to confirm all charges was based on the evidence and arguments presented during the confirmation of charges hearing in February, as well as on the submissions and documents of the parties and participants, including participating victims.
The pre-trial judges—Presiding Judge Iulia Antoanella Motoc, Judge Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou, and Judge María del Socorro Flores Liera—ruled that Duterte shall face trial for the following crimes:
- Murder as a crime against humanity in Davao City during his mayoral term from 2013 to June 2016;
- Murder as a crime against humanity against ‘high-value targets’ in locations across the Philippines during his presidency from July 2016 to July 2017; and
- Murder and attempted murder as crimes against humanity in barangay clearance operations in locations across the Philippines during his presidency from July 2016 to September 2018.
Following the confirmation of charges, the ICC said Duterte’s case would be transferred to a Trial Chamber, which will decide on the next steps of the proceedings and composed of three judges other than those who sat on the Pre-Trial bench.
“Trials at the ICC are fair and impartial, and the [Defense] will have sufficient time to prepare its case, while respecting the rights of victims,” the court said.
According to a briefer issued by the ICC, the Rome Statute requires the presence of the accused during trial.
The judges have likewise authorized 539 victims to participate in proceedings, represented by lawyers Joel Butuyan and Gilbert Andres, as well as Paolina Massidda of the Court’s Office of Public Counsel for Victims. (with reports from Clay Pardilla and RR Tubice / PTV News)
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