What Is the ICC and Why Is Duterte Involved?

 ⚖️ What Is the International Criminal Court (ICC)?

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is the world’s first permanent international tribunal dedicated to prosecuting individuals for the gravest crimes, including:

• Genocide

• Crimes against humanity

• War crimes

• Crime of aggression

📍 Headquarters: The Hague, Netherlands
📘 Established: July 1, 2002, under the Rome Statute
👥 Jurisdiction: Only over crimes committed in or by countries that have ratified the Rome Statute (or referred by the UN Security Council)

🇵🇭 Why Is Rodrigo Duterte Involved?

Rodrigo Duterte, the former President of the Philippines (2016–2022), is under investigation and currently in custody at the ICC due to his controversial “war on drugs,” which allegedly involved:

• Thousands of extrajudicial killings

• Torture of suspects

• Crimes committed during his time as Davao City Mayor and later as president

• Human rights groups claim many victims were poor and denied due process.

🔍 The ICC’s case focuses on alleged crimes against humanity committed between November 1, 2011, and March 16, 2019—the period when the Philippines was still a member of the Rome Statute.

🧾 Key Events in the ICC-Duterte Case

• 2011: Philippines joins the ICC.

• 2016–2019: Peak of drug war killings under Duterte.

• 2018: ICC begins preliminary examination.

• 2019: Philippines withdraws from the ICC, but jurisdiction remains for crimes committed while it was a member.

• 2021: ICC opens full investigation.

• March 2025: Duterte is arrested and extradited to The Hague.

• September 2025: Confirmation of charges hearings are scheduled.

🧠 Why It Matters

• It's a landmark international case—Duterte is among the few former heads of state to face the ICC.

• It sets a global precedent for accountability in state-led anti-crime or anti-drug campaigns.

• It reflects on how nations balance sovereignty, justice, and international law.