The International Criminal Court ruled on Friday that former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte must remain in detention, rejecting a defence bid to release the 80 year old on grounds of frailty and declining health.
The decision means Duterte will stay in the court’s custody in The Hague while prosecutors continue preparing the case tied to killings carried out during his anti drug campaign. His arrest in March marked a major step in the ICC’s long running probe into alleged abuses committed from 2016 to 2022.
In a brief ruling delivered at the court, appeals judges upheld the lower chamber’s decision to keep Duterte detained. Presiding judge Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza said the panel found that “the defence failed to identify errors” in the original order refusing provisional release.
Duterte was not present for the ruling. His grandson, Omar Duterte, told reporters outside the building that the family was disappointed and maintained that the former leader posed no risk of escaping.
“Half the time, while we are talking, he doesn’t even know why he’s in there,” he said.
In Manila, relatives of people killed during the campaign gathered to watch the hearing. Many held signs reading, “Duterte’s detention is our safety, no to interim release.” Applause broke out as the panel confirmed he would not be freed.
“The trial must go on,” said Sheerah Escudero, whose brother was killed in 2017 in an operation linked to the campaign. “It must continue until it is proven that Duterte is guilty.”
According to police records, 6,200 people were killed during anti drug operations while Duterte was president. Human rights groups say the actual number is far higher, and the ICC prosecutor has previously estimated that as many as 30,000 people may have died in the broader pattern of violence.
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Court filings say Duterte funded and armed death squads during his time in office. The former president has consistently rejected the allegations and insisted that security forces were ordered to kill only in self defence. He often told supporters that he was prepared to “rot in jail” if that was the consequence of eliminating narcotics networks.
In a statement issued from Manila, the Duterte family said they accepted the court’s decision “with peaceful hearts,” though his lawyers have continued filing motions seeking to dismiss the case entirely.
Friday’s ruling does not determine guilt or innocence. It simply means the court found no basis to release Duterte while the proceedings advance. ICC judges will now move toward decisions on whether to confirm charges and set a trial date, a process that could take several months.