Pro-, anti-Duterte groups clash over justice as ICC hearing begins

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – As the confirmation of charges hearing for former president Rodrigo Duterte began at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday, February 23, both critics and supporters of Duterte made clear their fight for justice – which looks vastly different for the two groups.

For the critics, justice means holding Duterte accountable for his war on drugs which saw the brutal extrajudicial killings of thousands of Filipinos. For Duterte’s supporters, justice is freeing the former president, who in their eyes only did what was right for the country.

Duterte began his four-day confirmation of charges hearing on Monday over alleged crimes against humanity, particularly three counts of widespread murder linked to his policy against illegal drugs, marred with killings and various other human rights violations. The hearing was reset months after its supposed date in September 2025 due to his defense team’s claims that he is not fit to stand trial, which the ICC ruled was not the case.

The former president waived his right to be physically present at the hearing, but both supporters and critics were nonetheless enthusiastic to attend.

The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber will decide within 60 days whether there is enough sufficient evidence under its jurisdiction to proceed to trial.

Years-long fight

Progressive groups from the Duterte Panagutin Network-Europe welcomed the beginning of the hearing after years of impunity.

“Hinahangad po namin na makamit ang hustisya at ang ICC ay hinihiling po namin na maging patas ang paglilitis sa araw na ito. Umpisa lamang po ito, ngunit inaasahan po namin na tuloy-tuloy na po ang ating laban,” said Llore Pasco, mother of Crisanto and Juan Carlos, who were killed in anti-drug operations in May 2017.

(We are looking to find justice, and are appealing to the ICC to be fair in today’s proceedings. This is only the beginning, but we are expecting this to be a continuous fight.)

“Hindi po namin nais maghiganti. Ang nais po ng mga pamilya ang pananagutan… Ito ay isa ring babala sa mga mamumuno, sa mga makapangyarihan na naluklok sa kanilang puwesto, ay hindi iyon resibo para sila ay manakit, para sila ay maglabag sa karapatang pantao,” said Rubylin Litao, coordinator of drug war-critical alliance Rise Up for Life and for Rights.

(We do not want to take revenge. The families want accountability… Let this also be a warning to leaders, to the powerful who were put in their positions, that this is not an excuse to harm and violate human rights.)

The groups called on the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber to confirm the charges and let the trial proceed.

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Duterte’s critics had an hour of permitted time at the ICC grounds to stage their protest program. For the rest of the day, Duterte’s supporters gathered in the area. The combined, but still distant presence of the two groups was generally peaceful for the day.

Questions on sovereignty

Supporters of Duterte, apart from their usual calls to free the former president and allow him to return to the Philippines, maintained that the ICC did not have jurisdiction of the case and that the proceedings were an attack on Philippine sovereignty by a “foreign” court. 

“The person who embodies a very good character of loving the Filipinos and the Philippines [is] incarcerated without a verdict, without a charge confirmed by the court. That itself is subjecting us to [the] mere discretion of a foreign power,” said Alvin Dave Sarzate, a pro-Duterte vlogger.

“This is nothing but an insult to the justice system that’s supposed to be brilliant individuals who are very much capable of handling complex matters, particularly the alleged crimes committed in the war on drugs,” he added.

Human rights groups have long lamented the lack of a working justice system, with vigilantes who committed many of the killings never seeing their day in court. Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has also said that the local justice system was weak to prosecute Duterte, as the former president’s cops had even threatened prosecutors.

Satisfaction for Day 1

Despite fighting for different causes, members of both sides appeared to show satisfaction over how the proceedings went for the first day. 

Karapatan secretary general Tinay Palabay said it was “a good Day 1.”

“The prosecutors and legal representatives of the victims clearly showed the impact [of the drug war] on the victims, their families, and their communities. The structure of how Duterte commanded killings from his mayorship to his presidency was clear… With just Duterte’s own words, he practically made the case against him,” Palabay said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Duterte supporter Ams Huijsing said the allegations from the prosecution were “just more of words” that needed more details.

“It’s easy to mention [anything], so we don’t know yet if those evidences are certified or credible,” she said.

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Huijsing, who has lived in the Netherlands for 21 years, took time off her job in e-commerce to witness the confirmation of charges hearings in person. She remains hopeful that the trial will not proceed. – Rappler.com