Du30 spends 2nd consecutive birthday in ICC detention
Former President Rodrigo Duterte marked his 81st birthday in detention at The Hague, the Netherlands, as the International Criminal Court (ICC) continued to deliberate on his case for alleged crimes against humanity over his deadly “war on drugs”.
The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I is set to rule not later than May on whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed to a full trial after the conclusion of his confirmation of charges hearing on Feb. 27.
The three charges allege that Duterte acted as an indirect co-perpetrator in at least 76 killings, including the murder of 19 victims, including three children, in or around Davao City, between 2013 and 2016, carried out by the Davao Death Squad.
The second count involves the murder of 14 targets across the Philippines between July 2016 and July 2017, executed by state actors.
The third count stems from the murder and attempted murder of 45 victims (43 killings and two attempted killings) during so-called barangay clearance operations between July 2016 and September 2018.
The former president’s defense team argues that the prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence and that the elderly former president is unfit to stand trial due to poor health.
Since March 2025
He is detained at the ICC Detention Centre located within the Scheveningen Prison in The Hague, where he has been held since March 12, 2025.
His daughter, incumbent Vice President Sara Duterte, equated the defense of the former president to the defense of national sovereignty.
The Vice President, who herself is being investigated for corruption by the House of Representatives, on Saturday thanked all “parallel support groups,” volunteers and the “millions” of Filipinos both in the Philippines and abroad for their support to their family.
The Vice President said their supporters’ loyalty to her father shows “testament to a leadership that truly prioritized the safety and dignity of every Filipino family.”
“But as we celebrate, we also stand firm,” Duterte said. “The defense of his rights is a defense of our national sovereignty.”
She also reminded their family’s supporters to be vigilant against the “weaponization of the law and the unconstitutional intrusion of foreign bodies,” referring to the arrest of her father last year that she and their family’s allies have heavily criticized.
