One year after former president Rodrigo Duterte's arrest and detention at the International Criminal Court on charges of crimes against humanity, lead defense counsel Nicholas Kaufman argues his medical condition warrants release despite repeated denials. Vice President Sara Duterte vows to keep applying, while supporters express ongoing anger.
MANILA, Philippines — It has been one year since former president Rodrigo Duterte's arrest in 2025 and detention at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands. He faces three counts of crimes against humanity for murder and attempted murder stemming from his time as Davao City mayor with the Davao Death Squad and his national drug war as president, which human rights groups link to nearly 30,000 deaths.
The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I concluded pre-trial hearings last month, with a decision expected in two months on whether the case proceeds to trial. ICC processes for detainees typically last five to eight years.
In an SMNI interview released on March 11, 2026, Kaufman highlighted tribunal 'reticence' in addressing defense submissions on Duterte’s health, describing his client as 'a unique phenomenon—a wildly popular man with an unfortunate tendency towards expletives and coarse attitude.'
Vice President Sara Duterte supported the effort in a Davao City interview: “I talked to the lawyers of (former) president Rodrigo Duterte and we agreed that every time there is an opportunity to apply for the interim release of (former) president Rodrigo Duterte, we will do it even if it is always denied.” She called the arrest 'extraordinary rendition or kidnapping,' adding, “It’s unthinkable that a government... would send a citizen to a foreign jurisdiction to be detained and tried for crimes against humanity. There is no basis, and there are no good witnesses. So, people are angry. They have been angry for a year and their anger will not cease until former president Duterte will return to the Philippines.”
Supporters from the “Tay, Kami Naman” campaign and Hakbang ng Maisug gathered at the Supreme Court to demand a ruling on the arrest's legality. Duterte once stated in 2018, “I can face the ICC... I will gladly do it for my country,” though past remarks like “Do not fuck with my country, because I will really kill you” are cited against him. No major contradictions appear in reports, but release applications continue.
