Rodrigo Duterte’s uncompromising “war on drugs” led to thousands of deaths, ICC prosecutors claim
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has charged former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte with “crimes against humanity.” The prosecutors have alleged that his ruthless war on drugs resulted in at least 76 killings, and have claimed that the real death toll is much greater.
The redacted 15-page charge sheet, dated July 4 but released only on Monday, alleges Duterte is responsible for murder during his time as Davao City mayor and as president, including 19 killings from 2013–2016, 14 “high-value target” deaths in 2016–2017, and 43 killings during broader “clearance” operations through 2018. Prosecutors say thousands more were killed in the operations.
The ICC, however, has faced international criticism and accusations of bias over perceived failures to address atrocities committed by Western countries. The United States, China, and Russia are not members, and the court has often struggled to enforce arrest warrants because it relies on state cooperation.
Duterte, now 80, launched his so-called “war on drugs” after his election in 2016, vowing that he would eliminate suspected drug dealers and urging the broader public to kill drug addicts. The harsh crackdown led to the deaths of an estimated 30,000 people, mostly urban poor.
According to the Human Rights Watch, a significant portion of the killings was committed by police at the instigation of the Duterte government, although the former president denied having approved extrajudicial murder. At the same time, Duterte admitted that he had kept a “death squad” of criminals to crack down on other gangs while serving as a mayor.
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The ICC issued an arrest order for Duterte on March 7, and the Philippine authorities detained the former president days later and surrendered him to The Hague. The move came despite the South Asian country withdrawing from the Rome Statute, which regulates the ICC, in 2019.
In a 2021 ruling, the Supreme Court of the Philippines insisted that the country still has an obligation to cooperate in the ICC proceedings.
Duterte’s legal team argues the ICC lacks jurisdiction after the withdrawal and has sought interim release on health grounds.
