https://www.scmp.com/rss/325708/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Families of victims of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs hailed as a “vindication” on Wednesday the International Criminal Court Appeals Chamber’s refusal to throw out the crimes against humanity case against him. Duterte has been held by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague since March 2025 over killings linked to his anti-drugs campaign while he was in office. His lawyers argued that the court had no authority to try him because the Philippines... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351050/icc-chamber-rules-case-against-rodrigo-dutertes-war-drugs-killings-proceed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351050/icc-chamber-rules-case-against-rodrigo-dutertes-war-drugs-killings-proceed?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 14:37:40 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Her father is in custody at The Hague, her alliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has collapsed into bitter rivalry and she is fighting to halt impeachment proceedings before the Supreme Court. Despite all of that, Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio is still, by a distance, the early favourite to be the country’s next president. A new survey by Manila-based pollster WR Numero found 36 per cent of Filipinos would vote for Duterte-Carpio if the 2028 election were held today – a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349553/sara-duterte-leads-early-2028-philippine-presidential-poll-rivals-struggle-unite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349553/sara-duterte-leads-early-2028-philippine-presidential-poll-rivals-struggle-unite?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:00:13 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The International Criminal Court (ICC) is expected to issue a written decision by April 28 on whether former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte will stand trial on charges of crimes against humanity over his war on drugs. However, even if the judges decide to proceed with the trial, observers predict that the proceedings will progress at a “glacial pace”, potentially taking years to reach a ruling. Duterte, who governed the Philippines from 2016 to 2022, was surrendered to the ICC in March... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3349504/will-philippine-ex-president-duterte-stand-trial-icc-and-how-long?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3349504/will-philippine-ex-president-duterte-stand-trial-icc-and-how-long?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 09:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Samira Muhammadi hopes an international investigation can “extinguish” her pain after a Pakistani bombing killed her son and hundreds of other Afghans in the capital Kabul last month. The March 16 attack hit a drug treatment centre and killed 411 people, according to Afghan officials. A United Nations source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they had verified at least 250 killed, with more still missing. “There should be investigations on this … Like me, many mothers lost their sons,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3349110/pakistani-strike-killed-her-son-rehab-now-afghan-mother-demands-answers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3349110/pakistani-strike-killed-her-son-rehab-now-afghan-mother-demands-answers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 01:14:50 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Threatening to destroy Iran’s electricity grid and to reduce the country of 90 million to destitution, US President Donald Trump is shattering precedent by not just accepting but gloating about acts seen as potential war crimes. The consequences for Trump, at least in the near term, are probably none, experts say, as his administration works hard to undermine international institutions tasked with keeping norms. The Geneva Conventions governing the laws of war, agreed following World War II,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348912/trumps-stone-age-threats-against-iran-spark-war-crimes-alarm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348912/trumps-stone-age-threats-against-iran-spark-war-crimes-alarm?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 06:26:47 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Growing disinformation in the Philippines and distrust in authorities could have led to a sharp drop in public support, particularly among Gen Z Filipinos, for the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) proceedings against former president Rodrigo Duterte and his deadly war on drugs. Only 32 per cent of Filipino respondents of different age groups approved the ICC’s move to prosecute Duterte in April last year, a month after he was arrested and flown to The Hague, according to a survey by WR... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347184/gen-z-filipinos-lead-collapse-support-duterte-icc-case?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347184/gen-z-filipinos-lead-collapse-support-duterte-icc-case?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:30:30 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles As judges in The Hague consider whether former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s crimes against humanity case should proceed to trial, a parallel battle over the narrative has taken hold online. Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have accused Duterte of overseeing a campaign of extrajudicial killings linked to his signature “war on drugs”. Rights groups say the campaign left thousands dead during his 2016-2022 presidency, allegations he has repeatedly denied. Analysts... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3345198/allies-philippines-duterte-step-online-attacks-drug-war-trial-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3345198/allies-philippines-duterte-step-online-attacks-drug-war-trial-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 06:00:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte personally drew up “death lists” and boasted about murders committed during his war on drugs, an International Criminal Court prosecutor alleged on Tuesday at a crimes against humanity hearing. On day two of proceedings against Duterte, ICC prosecutor Edward Jeremy laid out searing testimony, including allegations that children had their heads wrapped in packing tape and were strangled to death. “As president, Duterte publicly named persons he alleged... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344507/philippines-duterte-bragged-about-drug-war-killings-bodies-piled-icc-prosecutor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344507/philippines-duterte-bragged-about-drug-war-killings-bodies-piled-icc-prosecutor?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 15:04:37 +0000 Reuters Reuters Former Philippine president Rodrigo ⁠Duterte was “pivotal” in the ⁠murder of thousands of people during his ⁠reign, prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) said on Monday, as they pushed for his trial to go ahead. The prosecutors at the Hague-based war crimes court have charged Duterte with three counts of murder as a crime against humanity, involving dozens of ‌victims that accusers say were only a fraction of the real death toll in his clampdown on alleged drug users and... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344365/duterte-was-pivotal-murder-thousands-icc-prosecutors-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344365/duterte-was-pivotal-murder-thousands-icc-prosecutors-say?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 12:02:13 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen Abraham Newman is an American political scientist and a professor in the School of Foreign Service and Department of Government at Georgetown University. His research focuses on the ways in which economic interdependence and globalisation have transformed international politics. Along with Henry Farrell, he is co-author of the book Underground Empire: How America Weaponised the World Economy, published in 2023. In this interview, he discusses how the concept of weaponised interdependence has... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344243/trumps-neo-royalist-world-order-and-weaponised-interdependence-abraham-newman?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344243/trumps-neo-royalist-world-order-and-weaponised-interdependence-abraham-newman?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 22:00:15 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press France will summon US ambassador Charles Kushner to protest against comments by the Trump administration over the death of a far-right activist, the foreign affairs minister said. Jean-Noel Barrot was reacting to a statement by the State Department’s Counterterrorism Bureau, which posted on social media that “reports, corroborated by the French Minister of the Interior, that Quentin Deranque was killed by left-wing militants, should concern us all”. Deranque, a far-right activist, died of brain... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344278/france-will-summon-us-envoy-charles-kushner-over-comments-activists-death?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344278/france-will-summon-us-envoy-charles-kushner-over-comments-activists-death?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 17:47:48 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Mary Ann Pajo watched quietly as cemetery workers opened her son’s tomb in Manila this week and removed his body for examination by a forensic pathologist. Accused of dealing drugs, 30-year-old Joewarski Pajo was shot dead while playing a game on his phone, one of thousands of extrajudicial killings alleged to have taken place under former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte. A hearing begins at the International Criminal Court on Monday that will determine whether Duterte will stand trial over... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344173/families-philippine-drug-war-victims-seek-icc-justice-duterte-trial-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344173/families-philippine-drug-war-victims-seek-icc-justice-duterte-trial-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 13:11:47 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision to publicly name two sitting Philippine senators as alleged “co-perpetrators” in Rodrigo Duterte’s crimes against humanity case has shifted the spotlight to Manila, sharpening both the former president’s legal exposure and the country’s already fraught political fault lines. A more detailed version of prosecution filings posted on the ICC website on Friday identified Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Christopher “Bong” Go among eight officials... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343761/icc-naming-dutertes-allies-sharpens-philippines-political-fault-lines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343761/icc-naming-dutertes-allies-sharpens-philippines-political-fault-lines?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 13:18:33 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Two sitting Philippine senators have been identified as “co-perpetrators” in former president Rodrigo Duterte’s crimes against humanity trial at the International Criminal Court, documents released by prosecutors show. Senators Ronald Dela Rosa and Christopher Go are among eight current and former officials named in a document posted to the court’s website on Friday. ICC prosecutors have charged Duterte with three counts of crimes against humanity, alleging his involvement in at least 76 murders... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3343572/philippine-senators-go-dela-rosa-helped-duterte-wage-drug-war-icc-prosecutors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3343572/philippine-senators-go-dela-rosa-helped-duterte-wage-drug-war-icc-prosecutors?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 07:05:06 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio is facing three new impeachment complaints, setting the stage for renewed scrutiny aimed at preventing her from becoming the country’s next leader. But unseating her and barring her from politics will not be easy. The complaints are awaiting action from the House of Representatives, dominated by President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s allies, which resumes sessions next week. The accusations range from misuse of public funds to an assassination threat... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3343550/philippine-efforts-unseat-duterte-carpio-face-snags-too-popular-impeach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3343550/philippine-efforts-unseat-duterte-carpio-face-snags-too-popular-impeach?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 00:48:46 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of Libya’s late long-time ruler, was killed on Tuesday by gunmen who stormed his home in western Libya’s Zintan, his French lawyer Marcel Ceccaldi said. “He was killed today at 2pm ... in Zintan in his home by a four-man commando,” Ceccaldi said. Saif al-Islam, 53, had been seen by some as his father’s successor, despite being targeted by a warrant from the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity. In 2021, he announced he would run for... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3342304/son-libyas-late-ruler-gaddafi-killed-gunmen-who-stormed-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3342304/son-libyas-late-ruler-gaddafi-killed-gunmen-who-stormed-home?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 02:12:59 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has revealed his struggle with an abdominal ailment all while grappling with a string of political woes that would churn even the strongest of stomachs – impeachment complaints, plunging ratings and simmering public anger over corruption. Yet he has assured Filipinos there is nothing to worry about on the health front. But on Wednesday, almost a week after his disclosure, the president missed an event at the palace: an awards ceremony for outstanding... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3341584/whats-presidents-stomach-marcos-health-problems-call-mind-past-leaders-woes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3341584/whats-presidents-stomach-marcos-health-problems-call-mind-past-leaders-woes?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 02:00:16 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte will face a hearing at the International Criminal Court (ICC) next month, judges ruled on Monday, rejecting arguments the 80-year-old was unfit to take part. Duterte will face a so-called “confirmation of charges” hearing starting on February 23, where judges decide whether the prosecution’s allegations are strong enough to proceed to trial. “Having regard to the relevant legal principles, the medical assessment of the independent experts … and all of... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3341279/philippines-duterte-face-icc-hearing-next-month-judges-toss-out-health-defence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3341279/philippines-duterte-face-icc-hearing-next-month-judges-toss-out-health-defence?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 10:54:30 +0000 Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian America’s capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro in a special operation sent shock waves across the world. With characteristically bombastic rhetoric, US President Donald Trump hailed Operation Absolute Resolve as “an assault like people have not seen since World War II” and “one of the most stunning, effective and powerful displays of American military might” in history. His deputies were quick to add that the operation also showed the long arm of the US justice system by accusing... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3339093/us-action-venezuela-fuels-asias-fears-collapsing-rules-based-order?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3339093/us-action-venezuela-fuels-asias-fears-collapsing-rules-based-order?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 12:30:11 +0000 Reuters Reuters President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed into law changes that give Russia the right ‌to ignore judgments in criminal cases issued by foreign and international ‍courts amid Ukrainian and European attempts to punish Moscow for its actions in Ukraine. The move, which comes as US President Donald Trump is trying to broker a peace ⁠deal in Ukraine, appears to be a response to several initiatives to go after Russian officials and military officers for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, something Moscow... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3338067/putin-signs-law-allowing-russia-ignore-foreign-court-rulings-ukraine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3338067/putin-signs-law-allowing-russia-ignore-foreign-court-rulings-ukraine?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Dec 2025 13:44:43 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Italian authorities arrested nine people linked to three charitable organisations on suspicion of raising millions of euros for the Palestinian militant group Hamas, anti-terrorism prosecutors said in a statement on Saturday. The suspects are accused of sending about €7 million (US$8.2 million) to “associations based in Gaza, the Palestinian territories, or Israel, owned, controlled, or linked to Hamas”, the statement said. Among those arrested was Mohammad Hannoun, president of the Palestinian... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3337902/9-held-italy-over-us82-million-charity-scam-linked-hamas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3337902/9-held-italy-over-us82-million-charity-scam-linked-hamas?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Dec 2025 13:21:45 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Rashid arrived on the Malaysian island of Langkawi as a young child after spending weeks at sea in a fishing boat crammed with Myanmar’s unwanted: Rohingya Muslims driven out by soldiers and ethnic Buddhist militias who had razed their villages. A decade on, the now 14-year-old has witnessed countless boats arrive on the island over the years, as his stateless community continues to flee persecution. “We did not choose Malaysia because we thought it was a good or nice country,” he told This Week... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3337690/rohingya-crisis-deepens-myanmar-election-offers-no-hope-return?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3337690/rohingya-crisis-deepens-myanmar-election-offers-no-hope-return?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Dec 2025 03:00:09 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippine Supreme Court has upheld the murder conviction of three policemen who killed a teenage boy at the height of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs in 2017, a watershed moment that legal analysts say affirms the country’s justice system. In a decision made public on Monday, the court found Arnel Oares, Jeremias Pereda and Jerwin Cruz guilty of murdering 17-year-old high school student Kian delos Santos while conducting an anti-drug operation in the city of Caloocan in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3337685/philippine-court-upholds-murder-verdict-drug-war-case-what-does-it-mean-duterte?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3337685/philippine-court-upholds-murder-verdict-drug-war-case-what-does-it-mean-duterte?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Dec 2025 05:41:18 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg A group of civilians including two former government officials, filed a corruption complaint against Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte, in a fresh political challenge for the estranged deputy of President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr. The complaint, filed with the Ombudsman’s office on Friday, alleged that Duterte and 15 other officials, misused 612.5 million pesos (US$10.4 million) in public funds through “coordinated schemes” implemented across both the Office of the Vice-President and the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3336233/philippines-vice-president-duterte-faces-new-corruption-charges-sparking-political-storm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3336233/philippines-vice-president-duterte-faces-new-corruption-charges-sparking-political-storm?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 09:30:22 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz and European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas were both visiting Jordan on Sunday to discuss humanitarian aid for Gaza. Their visits came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he expected the second phase of the US-sponsored ceasefire plan for the Palestinian territory to begin soon. Waltz said on social media that he was in the Jordanian capital Amman to discuss speeding up the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza and “to see the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3335533/trump-un-envoy-waltz-eus-kallas-jordan-discuss-gaza-aid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3335533/trump-un-envoy-waltz-eus-kallas-jordan-discuss-gaza-aid?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Dec 2025 16:59:40 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The International Criminal Court’s ruling that Rodrigo Duterte is too politically connected to be trusted on interim release – citing his entrenched networks and even a “joke” from his daughter about breaking him out – has entwined the former president’s legal predicament with the political dynamics shaping the 2028 race. Analysts told This Week in Asia that the decision has narrowed the 80-year-old’s room for political manoeuvre while potentially strengthening, under some circumstances, the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3334797/iccs-denial-dutertes-release-raises-philippines-political-stakes-ahead-2028-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3334797/iccs-denial-dutertes-release-raises-philippines-political-stakes-ahead-2028-race?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Dec 2025 11:48:45 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippine government is facing mounting legal and political uncertainty after reports emerged that the International Criminal Court (ICC) may have issued an arrest warrant for Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa – the former national police chief widely seen as the main enforcer of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s violent war on drugs. Dela Rosa, a long-time Duterte ally and now a sitting senator, oversaw the Philippine National Police during the early years of Duterte’s presidency, when... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3332521/were-rumours-philippines-icc-warrant-duterte-ally-dela-rosa-calculated-leak?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3332521/were-rumours-philippines-icc-warrant-duterte-ally-dela-rosa-calculated-leak?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Nov 2025 02:00:25 +0000 Reuters Reuters The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Philippine Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, who oversaw then-president Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, according to the nation’s ombudsman, although the ICC denied the assertion. Duterte, in office from 2016 to 2022, was arrested and taken to The Hague in March on a warrant linking him to murders committed during his war on drugs, in which thousands of alleged narcotics peddlers and users were killed. “The ICC has issued a warrant... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3332048/icc-arrest-imminent-dutertes-philippine-drugs-war-ally-dela-rosa-ombudsman?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3332048/icc-arrest-imminent-dutertes-philippine-drugs-war-ally-dela-rosa-ombudsman?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Nov 2025 10:34:18 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The United States was working with both sides in Sudan’s war for a possible humanitarian truce, a US envoy said on Monday, while International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutors said they were trying to preserve evidence from last week’s rampage through a besieged city in the Darfur region. The latest alleged atrocities in famine-hit El-Fasher “are part of a broader pattern of violence that has afflicted the entire Darfur region” and “may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity”, the ICC... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3331393/us-seeks-humanitarian-truce-sudan-icc-investigates-possible-war-crimes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3331393/us-seeks-humanitarian-truce-sudan-icc-investigates-possible-war-crimes?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Nov 2025 18:58:20 +0000 Reuters Reuters Rodrigo Duterte, the former president of the Philippines, has appealed last week’s decision by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to continue its case against him and is seeking his release, court documents showed on Wednesday. Last week, ICC judges ruled that the court had jurisdiction over Duterte’s case, despite his team’s contention that the court did not open a full-fledged investigation into alleged crimes in the Philippines until after the country had withdrawn from the ICC in... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3330787/ex-philippines-president-duterte-demands-icc-release-claims-unlawful-detention?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3330787/ex-philippines-president-duterte-demands-icc-release-claims-unlawful-detention?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Oct 2025 11:19:09 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Half of Filipinos believe that former president Rodrigo Duterte should be held accountable for the deaths related to his bloody drug war, with observers pointing out the findings of a new survey could further “lend legitimacy and support” to an international court’s investigation into the ex-leader. The results come amid the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) rejection of the plea by Duterte’s defence counsel to allow his interim release from detention in The Hague. The poll was conducted by... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3329264/accountability-looming-philippines-duterte-survey-shows-growing-demand-justice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3329264/accountability-looming-philippines-duterte-survey-shows-growing-demand-justice?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Oct 2025 10:50:32 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Tens of thousands of Palestinians headed back to the heavily destroyed northern Gaza Strip on Friday as a US-brokered ceasefire came into effect in a deal that raised hopes for ending the Israel-Hamas war. All the remaining hostages were set to be released within days. Questions remain over who will govern Gaza as Israeli troops gradually pull back and whether Hamas will disarm, as called for in US President Donald Trump’s ceasefire plan. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who unilaterally ended... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3328621/palestinians-return-gaza-find-destruction-everywhere-after-ceasefire-takes-effect?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3328621/palestinians-return-gaza-find-destruction-everywhere-after-ceasefire-takes-effect?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Oct 2025 03:19:16 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US first lady Melania Trump said on Friday she had secured the release of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia after establishing an extraordinary back channel of communication with President Vladimir Putin. In a rare public announcement at the White House, she revealed weeks of behind the scenes diplomacy with the Kremlin chief after he held a summit in Alaska with her husband, US President Donald Trump. Eight children displaced by Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine had been returned to their... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3328613/melania-trump-says-she-secured-return-ukrainian-children-putin-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3328613/melania-trump-says-she-secured-return-ukrainian-children-putin-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Oct 2025 22:24:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte, charged with crimes against humanity, will remain in custody after the International Criminal Court on Friday rejected a request from his defence team for release on medical grounds. ICC judges ruled that Duterte posed a flight risk and could be in a position to influence witnesses if freed, arguing that this outweighed any medical problems suffered by the 80-year-old. “The Chamber finds that Mr Duterte’s detention continues to remain necessary,” the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3328567/icc-denies-release-ex-philippines-president-duterte-amid-flight-risk-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3328567/icc-denies-release-ex-philippines-president-duterte-amid-flight-risk-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Oct 2025 10:56:58 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem A decision by a unit of the largest lawyers’ group in the Philippines to honour former president Rodrigo Duterte with an award to recognise his decades of legal service has ignited fierce backlash, with critics calling it an affront to the thousands killed during his bloody war on drugs. While legal experts noted the award was a routine procedure, rights advocates have slammed it as deeply inappropriate given Duterte’s ongoing detention at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the gravity... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3328508/tone-deaf-legal-service-award-philippines-duterte-ignites-anger?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3328508/tone-deaf-legal-service-award-philippines-duterte-ignites-anger?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Oct 2025 07:13:49 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles A wave of fake news and conspiracy theories has taken aim at the Philippine military, with viral claims of coup plots, foreign interference and high-level defections spreading rapidly on social media. Observers warn the campaign is fuelling political instability by exploiting public outrage over recent major corruption scandals. Several trace the effort to a network of loyalists and influencers aligned with former president Rodrigo Duterte, the chief political rival of President Ferdinand Marcos... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3327831/fake-coup-and-cia-plot-rumours-philippines-fuelling-real-political-turmoil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3327831/fake-coup-and-cia-plot-rumours-philippines-fuelling-real-political-turmoil?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Oct 2025 05:30:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the UN General Assembly on Friday that Israel “must finish the job” against Hamas in Gaza, giving a defiant UN speech despite growing international isolation over his refusal to end the devastating war in Gaza. He spoke after dozens of delegates from multiple nations walked out of the UN General Assembly hall en masse on Friday as he prepared to speak. As the Israeli leader spoke, unintelligible shouts echoed around the hall, while applause rang out... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3327048/israels-netanyahu-faces-un-walkout-vows-finish-job-gaza?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3327048/israels-netanyahu-faces-un-walkout-vows-finish-job-gaza?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Sep 2025 14:08:06 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The release of charges against Rodrigo Duterte by the International Criminal Court (ICC) has provided the most detailed public account yet of the killings tied to the former Philippine president’s bloody drug war, but the path to a full trial remains uncertain amid claims of his cognitive decline and his lawyers’ push to halt the case. On Monday, the ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor released a heavily redacted document dated July 4 detailing the accusations against Duterte, who has been detained... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3326868/icc-charges-against-duterte-expose-scale-drug-war-killings-road-trial-uncertain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3326868/icc-charges-against-duterte-expose-scale-drug-war-killings-road-trial-uncertain?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Sep 2025 10:34:19 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse International Criminal Court prosecutors have charged former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte with three counts of crimes against humanity, alleging his involvement in at least 76 murders as part of his “war on drugs”. A heavily redacted charge sheet dated July 4 but only made public on Monday lays out the accusations against the 80-year-old former leader, currently sitting in ICC detention in The Hague. The first count concerns his alleged involvement as a co-perpetrator in 19 murders... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3326445/icc-prosecutors-charge-duterte-3-counts-crimes-against-humanity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3326445/icc-prosecutors-charge-duterte-3-counts-crimes-against-humanity?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Sep 2025 18:13:26 +0000 dpa dpa The Palestinian militant group Hamas on Thursday said it has distributed Israeli hostages across several districts of Gaza City. The organisation’s military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, said the Israeli offensive in the city will ensure that none of the hostages return to Israel. Hamas will have no regard for the lives of the abductees “as long as [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu decides to kill them”, the group added. It also threatened Israel’s military, saying it has “prepared... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3326052/hamas-says-israeli-hostages-spread-across-gaza-city-graveyard?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3326052/hamas-says-israeli-hostages-spread-across-gaza-city-graveyard?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Sep 2025 22:19:07 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The youngest son of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has filed criminal charges against four cabinet secretaries and several senior officials, accusing them of “kidnapping” his father and spiriting him to The Hague to face crimes against humanity charges before the International Criminal Court. But legal scholars and political insiders contend the case is a thinly veiled attempt by the Duterte camp to derail the appointment of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla as the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3325870/dutertes-son-files-kidnapping-charges-against-philippine-officials-save-vp-sara?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3325870/dutertes-son-files-kidnapping-charges-against-philippine-officials-save-vp-sara?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Sep 2025 10:30:26 +0000 Reuters Reuters Lawyers for detained former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte say he suffers from significant cognitive deficiencies that affect his memory and daily functioning, according to documents made public by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Duterte, 80, was arrested and taken to The Hague in March on an arrest warrant that linked him to murders committed during his “war on drugs” where thousands of alleged narcotics peddlers and users were killed. His lawyers have since then argued he is... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3325247/ex-philippine-leader-duterte-suffers-deteriorating-cognitive-condition-lawyers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3325247/ex-philippine-leader-duterte-suffers-deteriorating-cognitive-condition-lawyers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Sep 2025 15:29:21 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles A former police ally of ex-Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte is a step closer to giving what lawyers have described as “smoking gun” testimony to the International Criminal Court linking Duterte to extrajudicial killings during his war on drugs. At the same time, Duterte’s defence team is seeking to delay the ICC case against him and secure his interim release on health grounds. Royina Garma, an ex-police colonel who served Duterte while he was mayor of Davao City, was reportedly scheduled to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3324930/ex-ally-philippines-duterte-set-give-icc-drug-wars-smoking-gun-proof?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3324930/ex-ally-philippines-duterte-set-give-icc-drug-wars-smoking-gun-proof?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Sep 2025 13:10:29 +0000 Agence France-Presse,Reuters Agence France-Presse,Reuters The International Criminal Court has postponed “until further notice” a crimes against humanity hearing concerning former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte, while judges weigh his fitness to take part. Duterte, 80, was arrested and taken to The Hague in March on charges linked to his “war on drugs”, in which thousands of alleged narcotics peddlers and users were killed. On Monday, judges allowed for an indefinite postponement of the so-called confirmation of charges hearings that had been set... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3324816/icc-postpones-ex-philippine-presidents-drugs-war-trial-amid-health-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3324816/icc-postpones-ex-philippine-presidents-drugs-war-trial-amid-health-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Sep 2025 02:00:12 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo The International Criminal Court (ICC) is fighting back against the United States’ repeated sanctioning of its judges and prosecutors. But it can’t do it alone without global support from 125 of its member states against the American Goliath. Sadly, with heavy tariffs and other economic coercion hanging over their heads, many have chosen to stay silent. Washington has imposed new sanctions on four more ICC judicial officers, a move widely seen as protecting Israel. But that’s not the only... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3322976/world-must-stand-us-bullying-international-criminal-court?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3322976/world-must-stand-us-bullying-international-criminal-court?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Aug 2025 13:00:09 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles A plate of sweet pork exposed a deepening rift among Filipino loyalists rallying behind former president Rodrigo Duterte outside his detention centre in the Netherlands after a birthday bash ended in a bitter shouting match. A viral video from the August 15 celebration in The Hague showed former Duterte spokesman Harry Roque berating other guests after learning that someone had mocked him online for attending and eating humba – a caramelised version of adobo. The visibly furious Roque offered to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3322798/filipino-food-fight-hague-reveals-deepening-rift-among-duterte-loyalists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3322798/filipino-food-fight-hague-reveals-deepening-rift-among-duterte-loyalists?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Aug 2025 08:24:15 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The United States has formally asked the Philippines to extradite controversial televangelist Apollo Quiboloy, reigniting scrutiny over the detained preacher’s alleged trafficking and abuse network, as well as sparking questions over whether Manila will hand him over. Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel Romualdez confirmed the request on Wednesday, telling local media the documents had been sent to the Department of Justice in June. Quiboloy, 74, is the founder of the influential... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3322774/us-extradition-request-quiboloy-puts-philippines-tough-spot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3322774/us-extradition-request-quiboloy-puts-philippines-tough-spot?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Aug 2025 06:43:35 +0000 Agencies Agencies The Trump administration is ramping up pressure on the International Criminal Court (ICC) for pursuing investigations into US and Israeli officials for alleged war crimes. The State Department on Wednesday announced new sanctions on four ICC officials, including two judges and two prosecutors, who it said had been instrumental in efforts to prosecute Americans and Israelis. As a result of the sanctions, any assets the targets hold in US jurisdictions are frozen. The sanctions are just the latest... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3322575/us-sanctions-icc-judges-prosecutors-probes-alleged-american-israeli-war-crimes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3322575/us-sanctions-icc-judges-prosecutors-probes-alleged-american-israeli-war-crimes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Aug 2025 18:52:41 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Switzerland would grant Russian President Vladimir Putin immunity if he came to the country for talks on peace in Ukraine, despite the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant, it said on Tuesday. Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis told a press conference that, under certain circumstances, he would be allowed to set foot in Switzerland. Last year, the Swiss government defined “the rules for granting immunity to a person under an international arrest warrant. If this person comes for a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3322409/switzerland-offers-putin-immunity-ukraine-peace-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3322409/switzerland-offers-putin-immunity-ukraine-peace-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Aug 2025 12:34:11 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo International human rights lawyers and prosecutors are supposed to go after enemies of the West. Though unwritten, their job is understood to uphold double, not universal, standards. Unfortunately, some braver ones sometimes forget their place. When powerful Western leaders or their friends are investigated for things like war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and ethnic cleansing, things won’t go well at The Hague. Recent news reports have exposed a clandestine campaign against the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3321129/how-clandestine-campaign-undercut-iccs-case-against-israel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3321129/how-clandestine-campaign-undercut-iccs-case-against-israel?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Aug 2025 13:30:07 +0000