The International Criminal Court has scheduled the start of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's trial for alleged crimes against humanity on November 30. The 81-year-old is the first Asian former head of state to be indicted by the ICC.
Duterte, who led the Philippines from 2016 to 2022, is charged with three counts of crimes against humanity: murder, torture, and rape during his bloody war on drugs. Human rights groups estimate tens of thousands of extrajudicial killings occurred. The alleged crimes span from November 1, 2011 to March 16, 2019, covering his tenure as Davao City mayor and the first half of his presidency.
ICC prosecutor Julian Nicholls stated during a pre-trial hearing, "Decades of murdering his own people... and he claims that he did it all for his country." Duterte has waived his right to be present, not recognizing the ICC's authority, and maintains his innocence.
The case is a critical test for the ICC's ability to prosecute former heads of state. Duterte's arrest in March 2025 came after political fallout between his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who previously refused to cooperate with the ICC but later reversed course. If found guilty, Duterte faces life in prison, though trials at the ICC typically take years.