Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have confirmed crimes against humanity charges against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, paving the way for a trial over deadly anti-drug crackdowns he allegedly oversaw while in office. A three-judge panel found unanimously that there were 'substantial grounds' to believe Duterte was responsible for dozens of murders, first as mayor of Davao and later as president.
Key Takeaways
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has confirmed crimes against humanity charges against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte for his 'war on drugs' campaign. Judges found substantial grounds to believe he was responsible for dozens of murders. The trial is expected to begin soon, though Duterte denies the allegations and argues his actions were lawful.
- ICC confirms three counts of murder as crimes against humanity against Duterte
- Estimates of death toll range from 6,000 to 30,000 during Duterte's presidential term
- Human rights groups hail the decision as a historic moment for justice and accountability
- Duterte retains significant support among his base despite the charges
According to multiple reports, the ICC authorized over 500 victims to participate in proceedings. The confirmation of charges comes after several appeals by Duterte's legal team to dismiss the case based on the Philippines' withdrawal from the Rome Statute in 2019. However, judges ruled that the ICC retains jurisdiction over crimes committed while the Philippines was a member.
The court found that evidence shows Duterte 'developed, disseminated and implemented' a policy 'to ‘neutralize’ alleged criminals.' Prosecutors allege that police and hit squad members carried out dozens of murders at Duterte’s behest. Estimates of the death toll during Duterte’s presidential term vary from 6,000 reported by national police to up to 30,000 claimed by human rights groups.
Duterte, who was arrested in the Philippines last year and denies the charges against him, has not been present in the courtroom for any hearings. His lead defense lawyer Nick Kaufman argued that the prosecution 'cherry-picked' examples of Duterte's 'bombastic rhetoric,' stating his client’s words were never intended to incite violence.
Human rights groups have hailed the decision as a historic moment for justice and accountability. Leila de Lima, a critic of Duterte and member of the Philippine House of Representatives, celebrated the confirmation but lamented the delay in bringing him to trial. Meanwhile, Duterte retains significant support among his base.
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