Pretrial hearings have begun at the International Criminal Court in The Hague for former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who is facing three counts of crimes against humanity over deadly anti-drug crackdowns he oversaw while in office. Prosecutors told judges Monday that Duterte encouraged death squads to carry out extrajudicial killings using fear and financial incentives, with police and hit squad members allegedly carrying out dozens of murders at his direction. Deputy prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang told the court that for some, killing reached the level of a perverse form of competition.
The charges cover killings dating back to Duterte’s time as mayor of Davao and through his presidency. This hearing is not a full trial but rather an opportunity for prosecutors to present their case. Judges have 60 days to decide whether the evidence is strong enough to proceed to trial.
Duterte, who is 80 years old, was not present in court, having waived his right to appear. His lead defense lawyer Nick Kaufman maintained his client’s innocence and argued that prosecutors cherry-picked examples of Duterte’s rhetoric, insisting his words were never intended to incite violence.
Back in Manila, more than 100 relatives of those killed in the drug crackdowns gathered to watch the proceedings on large screens at venues organized by civic groups, with many expressing hope that the ICC would deliver justice for their families.
Estimates of the death toll during Duterte’s presidency vary significantly, ranging from over 6,000 reported by national police to as many as 30,000 claimed by human rights organizations. Duterte had attempted to withdraw the Philippines from the ICC in 2018, but judges ruled the court still has jurisdiction over alleged crimes that were already under consideration before the withdrawal. An appeal of that decision remains pending.
