CALLS for humanitarian intervention were raised before the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) regarding the continued detention of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte at the International Criminal Court (ICC), urging the international body to review the case on humanitarian grounds and calling for his interim release.
The appeal was delivered on March 11, 2026, during the UNHRC’s General Debate in Geneva by Shunichi Fujiki, a representative of the International Career Support Association (ICSA) and a senior Japanese researcher at the International Research Institution of Controversial Histories (iRICH).
In his statement before the council, Fujiki criticized the circumstances surrounding Duterte’s arrest and transfer to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands, and called for a “humanitarian review” of the former leader’s detention.
“I stand here to denounce the grave injustice. Eighty-year-old former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, Philippines, who bravely fought illegal drugs to protect millions, has been unlawfully removed from the homeland and held in prolonged pretrial detention by the ICC in The Hague. This is a political persecution, and not justice. The current administration extradited him without due process, bypassing Philippine courts and violating national sovereignty,” Fujiki said.
“He was extradited without any due process. Incidentally, since March 11, 2025, exactly one year ago today, this elderly leader has endured detention, separated from family amid serious health issues. Global rallies and protests in The Hague and throughout the world demand an interim release, which has been unlawfully denied by the ICC three times. This over one year pre-trial detention raises profound questions about compliance with the Rome Statute’s guarantees of humane treatment and speedy trial,” he added.
“It is an affront to human dignity and an abuse of international justice for political ends. We urge this council to demand a humanitarian review and the interim release of President Duterte. Justice must be fair, not a weapon against the people. The majority of the Filipino voice will not be silenced or depressed. Thank you very much,” he further said.
Fujiki’s remarks were delivered on the first anniversary of Duterte’s arrest on March 11, 2025, at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
The ICC issued a warrant to Duterte over his alleged crimes against humanity linked to the deadly anti-drug campaign carried out during his presidency.
Duterte was transferred to The Hague and placed under the custody of the ICC while legal proceedings moved forward.
Prosecutors at the international tribunal allege that Duterte bears responsibility for the crime against humanity of murder connected to thousands of killings during anti-drug operations conducted between November 2011 and March 2019. The timeline covers both his tenure as mayor of Davao City and his presidency from 2016 to 2022.
The ICC maintains jurisdiction over the case despite the Philippines’ withdrawal from the court in 2019. Judges previously ruled that the court retains authority to investigate alleged crimes that occurred while the country was still a member of the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC.
As of March 2026, Duterte remains detained at the ICC Detention Centre in The Hague while the court determines whether the case should proceed to a full trial.
Earlier this year, the court conducted a confirmation-of-charges hearing from February 23 to February 27, 2026. During the proceedings, prosecutors presented evidence they say links Duterte to extrajudicial killings carried out during the anti-drug campaign, while the defense argued that the allegations are politically motivated and lack sufficient legal basis.
The Pre-Trial Chamber of the ICC is expected to decide in the coming months whether the charges will be formally confirmed. If the judges determine that prosecutors have presented enough evidence, the case will advance to a full trial before a separate chamber of the court.
Duterte’s legal team has also repeatedly sought interim release, citing his age and reported health concerns. However, the ICC Appeals Chamber recently denied the latest request, ruling that the defense failed to present sufficient new circumstances that would justify releasing the former president while proceedings are ongoing.
Court-appointed medical experts earlier evaluated Duterte and concluded that he remains medically fit to participate in the legal process.
SunStar checked the official website of the International Criminal Court for updates on the case and monitored statements from the Philippine government. As of publication, neither the ICC nor the administration of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has issued a formal response to Fujiki’s remarks delivered during the UN Human Rights Council session. DEF