Rodrigo Duterte spent years telling the world to stay out of his business. He famously dared the International Criminal Court to come and get him while he led a drug war that left thousands dead. Now, it looks like the court is finally calling his bluff.
The ICC is moving forward with its investigation into potential crimes against humanity in the Philippines. It doesn’t matter that Duterte pulled the country out of the court back in 2019. The judges say they still have authority over anything that happened while the country was a member. And they’re not planning to let it go.
A long-awaited day for families
For the mothers and wives in Manila’s poorest neighborhoods, this isn’t just a legal debate. It’s about the people who never came home. They’ve spent years sharing stories of police raids that turned into executions. They’ve been waiting for someone outside the country to listen.
The numbers are hard to ignore. While the government officially puts the death toll at around 6,000, human rights groups say the real number could be three times that. Most of those killed were small-time suspects living in poverty. Many were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The legal wall of defense
Duterte’s team hasn’t changed their tune. They insist the Philippine justice system can handle things on its own. They say the ICC is overstepping. But the court’s decision to push forward shows they don’t buy the idea that local investigations have been enough to find the truth.
So, where does this go? Here’s the reality of the situation:
- The ICC doesn’t have its own police. They rely on countries to hand over suspects, which makes arrests very difficult.
- The current government is stuck. President Marcos Jr. has to balance his alliance with the Duterte family against international pressure.
- Evidence is piling up. Witnesses who were once too scared to speak are now coming forward with new details.
The road ahead is going to be messy. There’s no international force that can just walk in and arrest a former leader. But for the first time in years, the man who once felt untouchable is officially on the clock.