THE HAGUE: Rodrigo Duterte’s first appearance at the International Criminal Court has been set for Friday, the court said, as the former Philippines president faces crimes against humanity charges over his deadly war on drugs.
“The Chamber considers it appropriate for the first appearance of Mr.Duterte to take place on Friday, 14 March 2025 at 14:00 hours (1300 GMT),” the court said in a statement late on Thursday.
The 79-year-old will appear before judges for a hearing where he will be informed of the crimes he is alleged to have committed, as well as his rights as a defendant.
Duterte stands accused of the crime against humanity of murder over his years-long campaign against drug users and dealers that rights groups said killed tens of thousands of people.
As he landed in The Hague, the former leader appeared to accept responsibility for his actions, saying in a Facebook video: “I have been telling the police, the military, that it was my job and I am responsible.”
Duterte’s stunning arrest in Manila came amid a spectacular meltdown in relations between his family and the Marcos family, who had previously joined forces to run the Philippines.
Current President Ferdinand Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte — Rodrigo’s daughter — are at loggerheads, with the latter facing an impeachment trial over charges including an alleged assassination plot against Marcos.
Sara Duterte is in The Netherlands to support her father, after labelling his arrest “oppression and persecution,” with the Duterte family having sought an emergency injunction from the Supreme Court to stop his transfer.
But victims of the “war on drugs” hope that Duterte will finally face justice for his alleged crimes.
Gilbert Andres, a lawyer representing victims of the drug war, told AFP: “My clients are very thankful to God because their prayers have been answered.”
“The arrest of Rodrigo Duterte is a great signal for international criminal justice. It means that no one is above the law,” Andres added.
The high-profile Duterte case also comes at a critical moment for the ICC, as it faces unprecedented pressure from all sides, including US sanctions.
Last month, US President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on the court over what he said were “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel.”
The ICC has issued an arrest warrant for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Gaza war.
Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan hailed Duterte’s arrest as a key moment for victims and international justice as a whole.
“Many say that international law is not as strong as we want, and I agree with that. But as I also repeatedly emphasize, international law is not as weak as some may think,” Khan said in a statement following Duterte’s arrival in ICC custody.
“When we come together... when we build partnerships, the rule of law can prevail. Warrants can be executed,” he said.
At the initial hearing, a suspect can request interim release pending a trial, according to ICC rules.
Following that first hearing, the next phase is a session to confirm the charges, at which point a suspect can challenge the prosecutor’s evidence.
Only after that hearing will the court decide whether to press ahead with a trial, a process that could take several months or even years.
“It’s important to underline, as we now start a new stage of proceedings, that Mr. Duterte is presumed innocent,” said Khan.
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Duterte’s first ICC appearance set for Friday
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Duterte’s first ICC appearance set for Friday
- Former Philippines president faces crimes against humanity charges over his deadly war on drugs
- The 79-year-old will appear before judges for a hearing where he will be informed of the crimes he is alleged to have committed.
US kills 8 in eastern Pacific strikes on alleged drug boats
- Strikes on three alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean killed eight people on Monday, according to the US military
WASHINGTON: Strikes on three alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean killed eight people on Monday, according to the US military, the latest in a controversial campaign that has killed dozens of people.
Since early September, the US military under Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth has targeted alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, destroying at least 26 vessels and killing at least 95 people.
The US Southern Command announced the latest three strikes on X, saying the eight men killed had been involved in drug trafficking, without providing evidence.
The post included video footage of three separate boats floating in water before they are each hit by strikes.
“Intelligence confirmed that the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and were engaged in narco-trafficking,” it said.
The strikes killed three men in the first vessel, two in the second and another three in the third, the US Southern Command added.
The strikes have drawn intense scrutiny from human rights advocates and Democratic lawmakers, with the United Nations’s human rights chief warning last month they could violate international law.
The US administration has labeled those killed as “unlawful combatants” and said it can legally engage in lethal strikes without judicial review due to a classified Justice Department finding.
US authorities have not provided specific evidence that the boats it has targeted were ferrying drugs.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said that there would be an all-senators briefing Tuesday on the “administration’s rogue and reckless actions in the Caribbean,” with Hegseth and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
“The American people deserve oversight. We intend to deliver it,” the senior Democratic party lawmaker said in an X post published before the latest strike announcement by the US military.
- Concern over strikes -
The strikes have been accompanied by a massive US military buildup in the Caribbean that includes the world’s largest aircraft carrier and a slew of other warships.
US President Donald Trump has insisted the goal is combating narco-trafficking, while Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says he suspects it is a pretext for leadership change in Caracas.
The admiral leading US forces in the Caribbean, Alvin Holsey, stepped down last week, just a year into his tenure and after reportedly expressing concerns about the boat strikes.
Neither he nor Hegseth have publicly provided a reason for his early departure.
“We must always be there for like-minded partners, like-minded nations who share our values — democracy, rule of law and human rights,” Holsey said in a ceremony to mark him relinquishing command.
During one of the first strikes in September, survivors of an initial attack on a boat were killed in a second US strike on the vessel, generating accusations of a possible war crime since media reported details of the incident in November.
Hegseth has maintained he did not order a second strike, instead attributing it to the operational commander Admiral Frank Bradley.
Even before news of the double-strike broke, UN rights chief Volker Turk had urged Washington to investigate the legality of the campaign and warned of “strong indications” of “extrajudicial killings.”
Since early September, the US military under Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth has targeted alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, destroying at least 26 vessels and killing at least 95 people.
The US Southern Command announced the latest three strikes on X, saying the eight men killed had been involved in drug trafficking, without providing evidence.
The post included video footage of three separate boats floating in water before they are each hit by strikes.
“Intelligence confirmed that the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and were engaged in narco-trafficking,” it said.
The strikes killed three men in the first vessel, two in the second and another three in the third, the US Southern Command added.
The strikes have drawn intense scrutiny from human rights advocates and Democratic lawmakers, with the United Nations’s human rights chief warning last month they could violate international law.
The US administration has labeled those killed as “unlawful combatants” and said it can legally engage in lethal strikes without judicial review due to a classified Justice Department finding.
US authorities have not provided specific evidence that the boats it has targeted were ferrying drugs.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said that there would be an all-senators briefing Tuesday on the “administration’s rogue and reckless actions in the Caribbean,” with Hegseth and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
“The American people deserve oversight. We intend to deliver it,” the senior Democratic party lawmaker said in an X post published before the latest strike announcement by the US military.
- Concern over strikes -
The strikes have been accompanied by a massive US military buildup in the Caribbean that includes the world’s largest aircraft carrier and a slew of other warships.
US President Donald Trump has insisted the goal is combating narco-trafficking, while Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says he suspects it is a pretext for leadership change in Caracas.
The admiral leading US forces in the Caribbean, Alvin Holsey, stepped down last week, just a year into his tenure and after reportedly expressing concerns about the boat strikes.
Neither he nor Hegseth have publicly provided a reason for his early departure.
“We must always be there for like-minded partners, like-minded nations who share our values — democracy, rule of law and human rights,” Holsey said in a ceremony to mark him relinquishing command.
During one of the first strikes in September, survivors of an initial attack on a boat were killed in a second US strike on the vessel, generating accusations of a possible war crime since media reported details of the incident in November.
Hegseth has maintained he did not order a second strike, instead attributing it to the operational commander Admiral Frank Bradley.
Even before news of the double-strike broke, UN rights chief Volker Turk had urged Washington to investigate the legality of the campaign and warned of “strong indications” of “extrajudicial killings.”
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