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.
Duterte’s first ICC appearance set for Friday
https://arab.news/5ry9b
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.
UK PM Starmer pressured by own MPs to pay reparations to Palestine for British ‘war crimes’
- Letter states that Britain “gave away Palestine, a land we had no right to give,” when it withdrew in 1948 following the UN-backed plan to partition the territory.
LONDON: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing pressure from a group of MPs within his ruling Labour party to apologize and consider paying reparations to Palestinians for Britain’s role during the period of the British Mandate in Palestine between 1917 and 1948.
In an open letter addressed to the prime minister, nearly 20 Labour parliamentarians called on the government to acknowledge what they described as Britain’s historical responsibility for “war crimes” committed during its administration of the territory, The Telegraph newspaper reported on Saturday.
The initiative was organized by the campaign group Britain Owes Palestine, which argues that the UK must confront its past involvement in the region.
The letter states that Britain “gave away Palestine, a land we had no right to give,” when it withdrew in 1948 following the UN-backed plan to partition the territory.
The withdrawal led to the establishment of the state of Israel and the outbreak of war, events that remain central to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Campaigners say Britain should recognize that its policies during the mandate period contributed to violence and displacement.
The letter alleges that British forces committed abuses including murder, torture, arbitrary detention and home demolitions while governing the territory. According to the signatories, acknowledging these actions through an apology would represent an important symbolic step.
“An apology wouldn’t solve the conflict but is an initial first step to Britain making peace with its own past,” the letter states, urging Starmer to apologise so that “we can move towards healing this open wound.”
The document seen by The Telegraph was signed by 18 Labour MPs and one peer.
Among the signatories are prominent figures from the party’s left wing, including John McDonnell and Richard Burgon, both of whom previously served in the shadow cabinet under former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Several newly elected MPs from the party’s 2024 intake also backed the appeal.
Britain Owes Palestine was launched in 2025 and is campaigning for the UK government to acknowledge what it calls a “century of oppression.”
The group submitted a 400-page legal petition to the government in September arguing that Britain breached international law during its administration of Palestine.
The government has yet to formally respond to the petition and could face legal action, including a potential judicial review in the High Court, if it continues to decline engagement with the claims.
Starmer’s government recognized a Palestinian state in September to increase pressure on Israel to agree to a ceasefire in Gaza.
A ceasefire was reached the following month, although critics, including the opposition Conservatives, argued that the move risked rewarding militant group Hamas.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also criticised the recognition decision, saying it would have “no impact whatsoever” on achieving a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
