ICC judges reject bid to release former Philippines president Duterte

AMSTERDAM — Appeals judges ruled on Wednesday the International Criminal Court has jurisdiction over former Philippine president Rodrigo R. Duterte, dismissing a bid to throw out his trial over his alleged pivotal role in the murder of thousands of people.

Mr. Duterte, who was not in court when the decision was read out, has been held in detention at the ICC in The Hague since his arrest in March 2025.

The Philippines formally withdrew its ICC membership in 2018, and Mr. Duterte’s defense had argued that meant the court had no jurisdiction over the case.

But the appeals judges confirmed a lower court ruling that the case could continue and rejected the defense’s demands to immediately release the 81-year-old.

They ruled that the fact that a preliminary examination – a precursor to a formal investigation – had already started before the Philippines withdrew its membership was enough to trigger continuing jurisdiction over the alleged crimes.

Prosecutors say Mr. Duterte created, funded and armed death squads to target and kill alleged narcotics peddlers and users when he was in power between 2016 and 2022.

Mr. Duterte has long insisted he instructed police to kill only in self-defense and has always defended the crackdown. — Reuters