Manila: Malaca±ang welcomed Thursday the International Criminal Court (ICC) Pre-Trial Chamber I's decision to confirm the charges of crimes against humanity against former president Rodrigo Duterte. In a statement, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the Philippine government respects the pre-trial chamber's unanimous ruling, formally committing the case against Duterte to trial.
According to Philippines News Agency, Castro emphasized that the development marks a significant step toward ensuring accountability, noting that the confirmation of charges signals that the case has sufficient basis to proceed before the international tribunal. 'We respect the ruling of ICC that confirms all charges of crimes against humanity against the former President Duterte. Hustisya ang kailangan makuha sa mga kasong ito (Justice is what needs to be achieved in these cases),' she said.
Castro also mentioned that both the accused and the victims will benefit from a fair and impartial trial. She stressed the importance of due process, saying the latest move would give both sides the opportunity to present their arguments. 'Parehong partido ang makikinabang rito. Hustisya para sa akusado kung walang sala o hustisya rin sa mga biktima kung naabuso naman ang kanilang karapatan (Both parties will benefit from it. Justice for the accused if they are innocent, and justice for the victims if their rights were abused),' Castro added.
The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I said there are substantial grounds to believe that Duterte is responsible for the crimes against humanity of murder and attempted murder. Based on the decision, the crimes were committed "as part of a widespread and systematic attack against a civilian population on the territory of the Republic of the Philippines between 1 November 2011 and 16 March 2019 in the context of the 'war on drugs' campaign."
The confirmation of charges means that the case will now proceed to the trial phase, where ICC prosecutors will seek to prove the allegations against Duterte beyond reasonable doubt, while the defense will have the opportunity to challenge the evidence presented. Duterte is suspected of crimes against humanity, including murder and attempted murder, allegedly committed when he launched the anti-drug war during his tenure as Davao City mayor and later as Philippine president. He has been in detention at the ICC facility in The Hague, Netherlands, since March 12, 2025.
