Duterte killed thousands during his anti-drug campaign, International Criminal Court prosecutor alleges

THE International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague heard closing arguments on Friday in the preliminary examination of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte, with prosecutors alleging that he was responsible for the deaths of thousands during his notorious anti-drug campaign.

Prosecutors told the court that Duterte “ran a death squad in Davao that he created” and continued operating it for over two decades, even before assuming the presidency, carrying out a campaign that promised to kill thousands.

Summing up for the prosecution, Julian Nicholls said, “He's proud of his killings. He wants to be remembered for them. Decades of murdering his own people, murdering the children of the Philippines, and he claims that he did it all for his country. He doesn't deny it.”

The ICC panel of three judges has spent the week hearing arguments from the prosecution, the defence, and representatives of victims as they determine whether the case should advance to a full trial.

Duterte has not appeared in court, with his legal team citing illness, while victims allege he is unwilling to face the families of those he allegedly killed.

The former president faces three counts of crimes against humanity related to his so-called “war on drugs” during his tenure as mayor of Davao City and later as president.

The prosecution presented 76 alleged murder cases, describing them as an “emblematic fraction” of the thousands of killings reported by rights groups.

In his closing statement, Duterte’s lawyer Nicholas Kaufman categorically rejected the allegations, asserting that the former leader had “murdered nobody” and that the prosecution’s case relied on “hearsay” and “conjecture,” insufficient to meet the standard for confirmation.

Kaufman urged the judges to free Duterte, allowing him to “live out the rest of his days in peace” in the Philippines.

He added that during a recent visit with Duterte to explain the proceedings, the former president questioned how prosecutors could prove he had committed murder, again denying the charges.

Victims’ representatives countered, stressing the profound personal impact of the case. Gilbert Andres, representing those affected, said that the defence’s arguments made victims feel “like their murdered loved-ones are being murdered again,” and called on the court to confirm the charges so the victims could be “reintegrated into their communities.”

The judges will now have up to 60 days to deliver a written decision, which could confirm all charges and move the case to trial, dismiss some counts, or reject the case entirely, allowing Duterte to walk free.

The outcome marks a critical juncture in the ICC’s scrutiny of Duterte’s “war on drugs,” which has drawn international condemnation for its scale and alleged systematic targeting of civilians. - February 28, 2026