Overview
- ICC judges in The Hague, issuing their ruling Thursday, said evidence is strong enough to open full proceedings on murder and attempted murder charges.
- The panel confirmed counts tied to crimes against humanity and left the trial start date to be set at a later time.
- Judges had rejected the defense challenge to the court’s authority on Wednesday and also declined to halt the case based on claims about Duterte’s health.
- Prosecutors link the 78 counts to the state “war on drugs” during Duterte’s 2016–2022 presidency and to earlier operations when he was mayor of Davao City.
- Duterte has been held in The Hague since March 2025 after an arrest in Manila, and human rights groups say the campaign he led may have left up to 30,000 people dead.