Ex-Philippine president Duterte to face trial on crimes against humanity charges
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- The International Criminal Court (ICC) judges confirmed crimes against humanity charges against former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte for overseeing deadly anti-drug crackdowns during his tenure as mayor and president.
- The court found substantial grounds to believe Duterte was responsible for dozens of murders carried out by police and hit squads starting in 2011, under a policy to "neutralize" alleged criminals.
- Duterte, who denies the charges, was arrested last year and flown to The Hague; a trial date has not yet been set, and he has waived his right to appear in court.
- Families of victims and human rights groups welcomed the decision, seeing it as a step toward justice and accountability for thousands killed in the crackdowns.
- The Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019 after the preliminary investigation began, but the court ruled it still has jurisdiction over Duterte's case despite the withdrawal.
