The International Criminal Court has scheduled the long-awaited trial of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte for November, a development that has reignited tensions between The Hague and Manila. Sources close to the court confirm the date was set following months of procedural wrangling over jurisdiction and admissibility.
Duterte faces charges of crimes against humanity linked to his bloody war on drugs, which rights groups say killed over 30,000 people, mostly poor suspects shot dead in police operations. The former strongman has repeatedly dismissed the ICC as a 'kangaroo court' and vowed never to cooperate.
But this week, Britain threw its weight behind the prosecution. In a carefully worded statement, the Foreign Office said it 'strongly supports the ICC's independent work to hold perpetrators of the most serious international crimes to account.' The move is a clear signal to the Philippines government, which has waged a diplomatic campaign to discredit the court.
Leaked cables from the British embassy in Manila, seen by this reporter, reveal intense lobbying by UK diplomats to persuade Philippine officials to 'respect the rule of law' and 'facilitate the proceedings.' One cable warns that 'continued obstruction will harm bilateral relations and investment prospects.'
Back in Manila, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. faces a dilemma. His predecessor Duterte remains wildly popular among the poor, but international pressure is mounting. The Philippine justice secretary has branded the ICC trial 'an affront to our sovereignty' and insists the country's own courts can handle the cases. Critics say that is a farce: not a single police officer has been convicted for a drug-war killing.
Meanwhile, Duterte's legal team is expected to argue that the ICC lacks jurisdiction because the Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute in 2019. But the court claims jurisdiction over crimes committed while the country was still a member, a argument that has been upheld in previous rulings.
Human rights organisations cautiously welcomed the trial date. 'This is a watershed moment for justice in Southeast Asia,' said a Manila-based lawyer who has represented victims' families. 'For decades, the powerful have been untouchable. November could change that.'
But the path to the courtroom is strewn with obstacles. Duterte has not left the Philippines since leaving office, and Manila shows no sign of handing him over. An arrest warrant would be needed, but enforcement would require the cooperation of Philippine authorities or a dramatic change in political winds.
The British government's backing is significant but not binding. The US, a key ally of Manila, has remained silent on the trial. China, another close partner, has called the ICC 'politicised.'
For now, the countdown to November has begun. In the grimy alleys of Manila where drug suspects were gunned down, families wait. In the marble corridors of The Hague, prosecutors prepare. And in the barrios where Duterte is still a hero, the propaganda machines are whirring.
One thing is certain: this story is far from over. Sources say more evidence will be unsealed in the coming weeks, including testimony from a former police general who claims he was ordered to 'kill without mercy.' The full truth, as always, is buried under layers of denials, threats, and dollar signs.
Watch this space.
— Marcus Stone
