18/03/2025
𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗧𝗘 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗜𝗖𝗖 𝗜𝗡𝗩𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗚𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡
2017
April 24 – Lawyer Jude Sabio, representing self-confessed Davao Death Squad (DDS) hitman Edgar Matobato, lodges a formal complaint before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. The complaint accuses then-President Rodrigo Duterte and 11 of his close associates of crimes against humanity, highlighting the “continuing mass murder” in the Philippines, which allegedly began during Duterte’s tenure as mayor of Davao City.
June 6 – Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and former Magdalo party-list Representative Gary Alejano submit a supplemental communication to the ICC, urging the tribunal to initiate an investigation into Duterte’s war on drugs. They argue that the Philippine government has shown no willingness to hold Duterte accountable for his alleged human rights violations.
2018
February 8 – Malacañang acknowledges that the ICC has commenced a “preliminary examination” into allegations of extrajudicial killings linked to Duterte’s drug war.
March 14 – Duterte announces the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC.
March 17 – The Philippines officially deposits its written notification of withdrawal from the Rome Statute with the United Nations Secretary-General.
August 28 – Activists and families of eight individuals killed in the drug war form the group Rise Up for Life and for Rights and file a case before the ICC, accusing Duterte of murder and crimes against humanity.
2019
March 17 – The Philippines’ withdrawal from the ICC takes effect. Despite this, the ICC asserts that it retains jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed while the country was still a State Party to the Rome Statute, covering the period from November 2011 to March 2019.
April – Duterte issues a warning that ICC prosecutors will be arrested if they attempt to proceed with their investigation in the Philippines. He explicitly bars ICC Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda from entering the country.
October 3 – Rise Up for Life and for Rights submits a supplemental pleading to reinforce their case against Duterte for crimes against humanity.
December – The ICC determines that there is sufficient basis to advance the investigation.
2020
January 14 – Jude Sabio withdraws his complaint, claiming that it was merely part of the opposition’s “political propaganda.” However, the ICC Office of the Prosecutor clarifies that complaints cannot be withdrawn, as the office has a duty to evaluate all received communications.
Butch Olano of Amnesty International affirms that, apart from Sabio’s complaint, 53 other communications have been submitted to the ICC, all of which remain under review.
December 14 – A report from the ICC states that its Office of the Prosecutor has found a “reasonable basis” to believe that crimes against humanity were committed in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs. The identified offenses include murder, torture, and the infliction of serious physical and psychological harm.
2021
February 12 – British lawyer and human rights expert Karim Khan is elected as the new ICC Prosecutor, succeeding Fatou Bensouda. His term begins on June 16.
February – Rise Up for Life and for Rights, representing families of drug war victims, submits additional evidence against Duterte.
April 19 – The ICC Presidency assigns the case to the Pre-Trial Chamber.
June – Malacañang reiterates that Duterte will not participate in any ICC probe, arguing that the Philippines is no longer a member of the tribunal.
July – The Philippine Supreme Court rules that Duterte cannot use the country’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute to evade the ICC’s investigation.
In a unanimous decision, the 15-member tribunal affirms that the President cannot unilaterally terminate international agreements without Senate approval. The ruling confirms that, as a former State Party, the Philippines remains bound by ICC jurisdiction for acts committed before its withdrawal.
September – Former presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo reasserts that the Philippine government will not cooperate with the ICC investigation and that ICC investigators will not be allowed entry into the country.
September 15 – The Pre-Trial Chamber grants authorization for a formal investigation into crimes committed in the Philippines between November 1, 2011, and March 16, 2019, in relation to the war on drugs.
November 10 – The Philippine government formally requests ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan to defer the investigation, citing domestic efforts to investigate extrajudicial killings under Article 17 of the Rome Statute, which stipulates that the ICC should only intervene if national legal mechanisms fail.
November 18 – Following the Philippines' request for deferral, the ICC Prosecutor informs the Pre-Trial Chamber of the suspension of the investigation.
2022
June 24 – ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan requests the resumption of the investigation into the Philippines.
2023
January 26 – The Pre-Trial Chamber grants Khan’s request, citing the Philippine government’s failure to conduct a meaningful investigation.
February 3 – The Philippine government appeals the Pre-Trial Chamber’s decision to authorize the ICC probe.
March 27 – The ICC Appeals Chamber rejects the Philippine government’s request.
July 18 – The ICC Appeals Chamber denies the Philippine government’s motion for reconsideration, paving the way for the resumption of the investigation. In response, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announces that his administration will cease further engagement with the ICC.
2024
October – Antonio Trillanes submits transcripts of Senate and House hearings on Duterte’s drug war to the ICC as supplementary evidence. These transcripts include Duterte’s statements before the Senate, where he admitted to leading a death squad and ordering the ex*****on of suspected drug offenders while serving as Davao City mayor.
November – Duterte testifies before a House quad-committee hearing, where he publicly assumes full responsibility for the drug war killings. He challenges the ICC to expedite its investigation, stating, “Hurry up, come here, and start the investigation tomorrow.”
He further declares: “I assume full responsibility for whatever actions were taken by law enforcement agencies in addressing the serious drug problem affecting our people.”
November – The ICC launches a microsite titled "ICC Witness Appeal" to solicit credible information from potential witnesses regarding Duterte’s drug war. The platform is intended to accelerate the ongoing investigation into alleged crimes against humanity.
2025
January 23 – The Philippine government signals a policy shift regarding the ICC probe. Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla states that the administration is open to discussions with the ICC, provided that clear terms are set.
February 10 – The ICC Prosecutor files an urgent application under Article 58, requesting the issuance of an arrest warrant against Duterte for crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, and r**e. The charges pertain to incidents that occurred between November 1, 2011, and March 16, 2019.
March 7 – The ICC issues a 15-page arrest warrant against Duterte, formally charging him with murder as a crime against humanity. The warrant cites his involvement with the Davao Death Squad before his presidency and his role in orchestrating widespread killings under the national anti-drug campaign.
March 11 – Duterte is apprehended at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport upon his return from Hong Kong. In coordination with Interpol, Philippine authorities detain him based on the ICC’s arrest warrant. He is subsequently transported to The Hague to face charges related to his administration’s anti-drug operations.
Sources: MSN, Inquirer, Reuters
