Palace respects ICC ruling on Duterte case

Malacañang on Friday said it respects the decision of the International Criminal Court to uphold all charges of crimes against humanity against former President Rodrigo Duterte, emphasizing that justice must ultimately prevail for both the accused and alleged victims.

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro underscored that accountability and due process remain central as the case moves forward.

“We respect the ruling of ICC that confirms all charges of crimes against humanity against former President Duterte,” Castro noted.

“Hustisya ang kailangang makuha sa mga kasong ito. Parehong partido ay makikinabang rito. Hustisya para sa akusado kung walang sala o hustisya rin sa mga biktima kung naabuso naman ang kanilang karapatan,” the Palace Press Officer added.

The ruling, issued on April 23 by the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber I, found that Duterte allegedly orchestrated a state-backed killing campaign, where orders to “neutralize” suspected criminals were interpreted as directives to eliminate them.

With the decision, Duterte is now set to face a full trial before the ICC—marking a historic first for an Asian head of state before the tribunal.