Former Philippine President Duterte faces ICC probe over deadly drug war

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutors on Monday accused former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte of masterminding a brutal anti-drug campaign that resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians.

The allegations were presented during a preliminary hearing to determine whether the case against the 80-year-old former leader will proceed to trial.

Duterte faces three counts of crimes against humanity. While he was arrested in Manila last year and transferred to The Hague, he was absent from Monday's proceedings, citing memory loss and claiming he is "old, tired, and weak."

Prosecutors argued that Duterte established and expanded "death squads" during his tenure as mayor of Davao and continued the practice throughout his presidency. They alleged that Duterte used public speeches to systematically incite violence.

Defense attorneys countered those claims, characterizing the former president’s inflammatory remarks as "hyperbole" and "bravado" rather than criminal instructions.

ICC prosecution estimates suggest that between 12,000 and 30,000 civilians were killed during the crackdown.

Families of the victims followed the hearing via a broadcast in the Philippines, while some traveled to The Hague to witness the proceedings in person. The court is expected to issue a written decision on whether to move to trial within 60 days.

The International Criminal Court’s proceedings against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte represent a watershed moment for Southeast Asian governance. It marks a rare instance where a former head of state in the region is being held to account by an international tribunal for domestic policies enacted during his tenure, directly challenging the long-standing ASEAN principles of national sovereignty and non-interference.

At the heart of the case is Duterte’s signature "war on drugs," a campaign defined by aggressive enforcement and the systemic bypassing of due process. While once championed by some as a decisive solution to social instability, the ICC trial exposes the profound human rights costs and the resulting legal vulnerabilities on the global stage. The move sends a clear signal to the region’s leadership: large-scale human rights violations may now carry the risk of personal legal consequences that transcend national borders.

The trial also highlights a stark divergence between domestic political capital and international legal norms. Despite the global condemnation, the Duterte legacy maintains significant domestic traction, evidenced by the political rise of his daughter, Sara Duterte. This tension reflects a broader regional trend where populist leaders are hailed as heroes at home while being viewed as pariahs by the international community for violating global standards. Ultimately, the outcome of these proceedings will set a critical precedent for executive accountability and the future of rule-of-law benchmarks across Southeast Asia.

While the case has no direct impact on the Vietnamese-American business landscape—from the nail salon industry to phở restaurants—nor does it affect immigration matters like F2B, H-1B, or EB-5 visas, it has nonetheless captured the attention of the community. For those in Little Saigon and across the diaspora who carry the weight of historical state-sponsored violence, the trial resonates deeply. The themes of leadership accountability and justice for victims echo the community’s own long-standing struggles for transparency and human rights.