Former President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte, who was previously considered an invincible strongman, now stands in court in The Hague. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has stepped up its probe of suspected crimes against humanity in connection with his drug war, which was steeped in controversy, from the former Philippines strongman.
Duterte’s government presided over thousands of extrajudicial executions, with human rights organizations accusing him of masterminding a violent crackdown. Although he repeatedly rebuffed the ICC’s jurisdiction and pulled the Philippines out of the court in 2019, the tribunal has persisted with its investigation, citing evidence of widespread human rights abuses.
His legal woes can have far-reaching implications for Philippine politics, pushing the nation to uphold international justice. Although Duterte remains popular with loyalists, his possible prosecution marks a turning point in global standards of accountability for former leaders.
As The Hague proceeds with its case, the world is waiting to see if Duterte will escape justice or will be made to face the full brunt of international law. Either scenario, the case makes it clear that even the strongest leaders can never escape accountability for long.
