• Rodrigo Duterte faces charges for three counts of crimes against humanity in relation to his war on drugs.
• The ICC accusations include involvement in at least 76 murders during his time as mayor and president.
• Duterte’s trial has been postponed while the court evaluates his fitness to stand trial.

International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutors have formally charged former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte with three counts of crimes against humanity, alleging his involvement in the killings of at least 76 people between 2013 and 2018 as part of his notorious "war on drugs". The charges, detailed in a heavily redacted document dated July 4 and publicly released on September 22, highlight specific incidents during both his mayoral and presidential terms, marking him as the first Asian leader indicted by the ICC, according to SCMP, BBC, and Channel News Asia.

The first count accuses Duterte of being an "indirect co-perpetrator" in the murders of 19 victims in Davao City during his tenure as mayor from 2013 to 2016. The subsequent counts involve the killings of 14 high-value targets during his presidency and 43 murders executed in clearance operations between 2016 and 2018. Prosecutors assert that Duterte and his collaborators operated under a shared plan that included violent methods for neutralizing alleged criminals, according to Al Jazeera, India Times, and NPR.

Duterte was arrested on March 11 following a warrant issued by the ICC and has since been held in a detention facility in The Hague. His attorney, Nicholas Kaufman, has claimed that Duterte suffers from cognitive impairments, arguing that he is unfit to stand trial and requesting an indefinite postponement of the proceedings, according to BBC, Channel News Asia, and India Times.

The ICC charges come amid widespread criticism from Duterte's supporters, who assert that the prosecution is politically motivated, particularly due to tensions with current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Many feel the ICC lacks the jurisdiction to prosecute without cooperation from national authorities. As the trial proceedings are still being evaluated, critical international scrutiny continues over Duterte's legacy and the implications of his anti-drug policies, according to SCMP, Al Jazeera, and NPR.