THE International Criminal Court (ICC) Pre-Trial Chamber 1 confirmed Thursday, April 23, 2026, all three charges against former President Rodrigo Duterte.
The decision, which was signed by Presiding Judge Iulia Antoanella Motoc, Judge Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou, and Judge María del Socorro Flores Liera, was transmitted to the ICC Presidency along with the record for proceedings.
The ICC charged Duterte with the following crimes:
Murder in or around Davao City during his term as mayor from 2013 to 2016 by the Davao Death Squad involving 19 victims, including three children.
Murder of high-value targets during his presidency from 2016 to 2017 involving 14 victims.
Murder and attempted murder in barangay clearance operations during his presidency from 2016 to 2018 covering 45 victims.
The confirmation of charges against Duterte came a day after the ICC Appeals Chamber declared his request for interim release moot.
The five-member Appeals Chamber rejected the challenge of the Duterte camp regarding the jurisdiction of the body, denying all four defense arguments.
The chamber maintained its jurisdiction over crimes committed in the Philippines by a Filipino while the country remained a member of the Rome Statute.
Authorities arrested Duterte on March 11, 2025, on the basis of an arrest warrant the ICC issued amid its investigation into alleged crimes against humanity. These allegations stem from the implementation of the drug war from 2011 to 2019, covering his tenure as Davao City mayor and his term as president of the National Government.
Duterte was flown to the Netherlands via private jet for his turnover to the ICC.
The Philippines remained a member of the Rome Statute from November 1, 2011, until March 17, 2019, following the withdrawal order issued by Duterte. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)