Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos says he will not hand over his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court. The ICC is investigating his deadly crackdown on drug trafficking in the archipelago.
More than 6,000 people have been killed in anti-drug operations under Duterte, according to official data released by the Philippines. ICC prosecutors estimate that the death toll is between 12,000 and 30,000. Ferdinand Marcos has repeatedly ruled out rejoining the ICC. The court launched a formal investigation into Rodrigo Duterte's crackdown in September 2021, before suspending it two months later when Philippine authorities announced they would themselves investigate alleged crimes committed during the anti- drug campaign. which left thousands dead attributed to the police, hired killers or self-defense groups. The Prosecutor General then requested the reopening of the investigation in June 2022, and the Court's judges gave the green light in late January 2023 - a decision that Manila unsuccessfully challenged on appeal shortly after. The tribunal based in The Hague, Netherlands, is investigating allegations of human rights violations committed during its war on drugs.