The International Criminal Court (ICC) has ramped up its case against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte by submitting 139 pieces of evidence related to alleged crimes against humanity.
According to a May 5 document, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan organized the materials into four categories and filed them with Pre-Trial Chamber 1 on April 30. These categories include contextual elements, modes of liability, killings during Duterte’s time as Davao City mayor, and murders linked to barangay clearance operations under his presidency.
Duterte is currently in ICC custody in The Hague, facing charges tied to his controversial war on drugs. Government figures report around 6,200 suspects were killed during anti-drug operations, though human rights groups estimate the death toll could be as high as 30,000.
Prosecutor Khan revealed that for the upcoming confirmation of charges hearing on September 23, the prosecution is preparing two witnesses, nearly 9,000 pages of documents, and 16 hours of video and audio recordings.
Meanwhile, the ICC has rejected an appeal from Duterte’s legal team seeking the removal of two judges from the case. The May 6 ruling emphasized that only a judge may request to be excused and that such requests must go through the proper internal procedures—not be initiated by the parties involved.
Duterte made his first appearance before the ICC via video on March 14, 2025.