ICC rejects appeal to drop case against former Philippine President Duterte

AMSTERDAM — Appeals judges ruled on Wednesday that the International Criminal Court has jurisdiction over former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, dismissing a bid to throw out his trial over his alleged pivotal role in the murder of thousands of people during his anti-drug campaign. Duterte, 81, faces three counts of crimes against humanity at the ICC. The charges relate to killings during his so-called war on drugs, when he was mayor of Davao, between 2013 and 2016, and subsequently president until March 2019. The Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2018. Duterte’s lawyers had argued the court has no authority over the case because the country is no longer a member. Prosecutors said the alleged crimes took place while the Philippines was still part of the ICC, meaning the court can still investigate and try the case. In October, a lower ICC chamber agreed with prosecutors and allowed the case to move forward.Appeals judges have now upheld that decision. They confirmed the court has jurisdiction and rejected the defense request to immediately release Duterte. “Having rejected the entire appeal, the chamber considers the request for Mr Duterte’s immediate and unconditional release to be moot,” presiding judge Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza said. Families of the victims who were watching the proceedings from the Philippines erupted in joy when the court verdict was read out. Duterte, who has been held in detention at the ICC in The Hague since his arrest in March 2025, was not in court. Prosecutors say Duterte created, funded and armed death squads to target and kill suspected narcotics peddlers and users when he was in power between 2016 and 2022. Duterte has long insisted he instructed police to kill only in self-defense and has always defended the crackdown. — Agencies