The International Criminal Court has confirmed all charges of crimes against humanity against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, clearing the way for a full trial to proceed.
On 22 April 2026, the ICC’s Appeals Chamber affirmed that the Court may exercise jurisdiction over the alleged crimes linked to Duterte’s “war on drugs” during his presidency and his tenure as mayor of Davao City. The decision followed a January 2026 ruling by a Pre-Trial Chamber that Duterte is mentally and physically fit to stand trial, rejecting defence challenges to his detention and the Court’s authority.
Duterte was arrested by Philippine authorities in March 2025 and transferred to the ICC’s detention centre in The Hague, where he has remained since. His initial appearance before the Court occurred on 14 March 2025.
The charges stem from allegations that thousands of people, predominantly from poor and marginalised communities, were unlawfully killed by police or unidentified armed groups during the anti-drug campaign between 2016 and 2022. Amnesty International has documented these killings as potentially constituting crimes against humanity, citing evidence of widespread and systematic violence.
The Court is also investigating possible crimes committed during Duterte’s time as mayor of Davao City from 2011 to 2016, including allegations tied to the Davao Death Squad. On 13 February 2026, the ICC released a partially redacted version of the charges identifying eight other individuals as alleged co-perpetrators, though no arrest warrants for them have been made public.
Responding to the development, Ritz Lee Santos, Director of Amnesty International Philippines, said: “Families of victims and survivors of the ‘war on drugs’ have waited far too long for justice. The ICC’s confirmation of all charges against former President Duterte is a historic moment for victims and international justice. It sends a clear message that those who are alleged to have committed widespread and systematic murder as a crime against humanity will one day find themselves in the dock, facing trial. Justice may be slow in coming, but it cannot be delayed forever.”
Santos added: “This trial is not about politics. It is about a campaign in which thousands of people were killed in cold blood, and a justice system in the Philippines that has consistently failed them. The ICC is acting since the authorities would not. For years, those responsible for unlawful killings have operated with impunity, but that era is ending.”
She continued: “For the survivors and victims’ families who have carried their grief in silence, today affirms that their voices have been heard and their persistence is not in vain. As these proceedings move forward, the international community will bear witness not only to the crimes that Duterte is alleged to have committed, but to the courage of those who never stopped demanding justice.”
Santos concluded: “The ICC must now ensure victims’ rights to participate in the trial and guarantee that witnesses are protected so that the trial can decide on the allegations facing Duterte. Meanwhile, efforts must stop at nothing to ensure that all those individually responsible for crimes under international law and grave human rights violations are held accountable, whether in the Philippines or at the ICC.”
The Pre-Trial Chamber had earlier determined that sufficient grounds existed to proceed with trial on three counts: murder and attempted murder as crimes against humanity. The Appeals Chamber’s confirmation removes the final legal barrier to the commencement of trial proceedings, though a date has not yet been set.
