A panel of international judges has found sufficient grounds to send former Philippine president Rodrigo Roa Duterte to trial, unanimously confirming three counts of crimes against humanity in a ruling handed down Thursday by Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court.
The chamber determined there are substantial grounds to believe Duterte bears criminal responsibility for murder and attempted murder under Article 7(1)(a) of the Rome Statute — the court’s founding treaty — in connection with killings carried out during his administration’s anti-narcotics campaign. The period covered spans from November 1, 2011 to March 16, 2019, encompassing his time as Davao City mayor before he assumed the presidency.
Judges Iulia Antoanella Motoc, Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou, and María del Socorro Flores Liera based their ruling on evidence and submissions presented over a five-day confirmation hearing held February 23 to 27 this year. Duterte was not present during those proceedings, having formally waived his right to attend — a request the chamber had granted.
The court found that the alleged offenses formed part of a widespread and systematic attack on civilian populations within Philippine territory, a threshold required under international law for conduct to qualify as crimes against humanity.
Prosecutors, defense counsel, and legal representatives of participating victims all submitted arguments before the panel reached its decision.
Duterte’s path to The Hague was set in motion after Pre-Trial Chamber I issued a warrant of arrest in March 2025 — initially classified as secret before being made public days later. He was surrendered to ICC custody on March 12, 2025, with his initial appearance before the court occurring two days after that.
The case will now be transferred to a Trial Chamber, which will determine scheduling and procedural next steps. The defense retains the right to adequate time and resources to prepare its case ahead of trial.
