A year has passed since former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was brought to International Criminal Court custody in The Hague.
But even after twelve long months, the arguments surrounding his detention remain as intense and emotional as ever.
For Duterte’s defense team, the arrest still feels like betrayal.
For the families of those who died in the bloody war on drugs, it feels like the first real step toward justice.
“A Betrayal,” Says Duterte’s Lawyer
According to Duterte’s defense lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman, the former president should never have ended up in an international jail.
He insists that Duterte’s detention is illegal.
One year after the arrest, Kaufman repeated the same claim — that the former leader had been betrayed by his own government.
He said Duterte was denied the chance to defend his legacy under Philippine law.
To the defense, the solution is simple:
Duterte should be sent back home to the Philippines as soon as possible.
Kaufman also previously expressed hope that the court’s judges would eventually dismiss the charges — allowing the former president to return to the Filipino people who call him “Tatay Digong.”
Victims’ Lawyers Push Back
But on the other side of the courtroom, the tone is very different.
Lawyers Joel Butuyan and Gilbert Andres — who represent victims’ families before the ICC — say Duterte’s surrender to the court is not betrayal.
To them, it is accountability.
They described the arrest as the first step toward truth and justice for families who lost loved ones during the drug war.
While Duterte enjoys the presumption of innocence and the right to a fair trial, they said many victims were never given those same rights.
No court hearing.
No defense.
No trial.
Just death.
They also spoke about the deep pain still carried by the families.
Duterte’s relatives can still visit him in prison… hug him… talk to him.
But the families of the victims?
They can only visit cold graves.
The Voices of the Victims
The Office of Public Counsel for Victims also urged the public to remain respectful while the case moves forward.
According to its principal counsel, Paolina Massidda, the suffering of the victims is not symbolic.
It is real.
It is ongoing.
And it deserves to be heard.
She stressed that the role of the lawyers is to ensure that victims’ voices stay at the center of the case — and that their pain is never forgotten.
How Duterte Landed in The Hague
The dramatic turn of events began on March 11, 2025.
Duterte was flown on a chartered plane to Rotterdam and later transferred to the ICC detention center in The Hague.
The court had issued a warrant for his arrest over allegations of crimes against humanity tied to his administration’s deadly anti-drug campaign.
Three days later, on March 14, 2025, Duterte appeared before the court for the first time.
Since then, his legal team has repeatedly questioned the ICC’s authority to try him.
Nearly a year later, from February 23 to 27, 2026, the court held a confirmation of charges hearing to determine whether the case should move to full trial.
Before the hearing, Duterte even asked the court to excuse him from appearing.
In a statement to the judges, he claimed his arrest was essentially a kidnapping — allegedly carried out with the help of the Philippine government and a specially chartered plane.
Critics Call the Claim a “Tired Cliché”
Duterte’s critics quickly rejected that claim.
For activist Joel Vega of the Panagutin Network Netherlands, the argument is nothing more than a distraction.
He called it a “tired cliché” that hides a painful reality.
According to Vega, true sovereignty should begin with protecting one’s own people.
And if a leader is accused of turning violence against citizens, then appeals to sovereignty ring hollow.
For him and other Filipinos living in Europe, the goal now is simple:
Let the legal process unfold.
Let the evidence speak.
Supporters Still Rally for Duterte
Even in Europe, Duterte continues to have loyal supporters.
Some of them have tried to visit him inside the detention facility at Scheveningen Prison, though authorities have denied them entry.
Instead, many left letters in the prison mailbox or passed messages through visiting relatives.
During the recent court hearings, supporters gathered outside the ICC building.
They shared food in a small potluck.
They held livestreams.
And they welcomed Duterte’s lawyers as guests.
Kaufman acknowledged that thousands of supporters have sent messages to the former president.
He said Duterte has been made personally aware of the overwhelming support.
The defense lawyer also encouraged supporters to continue expressing their loyalty peacefully — especially as Duterte prepares to mark his 81st birthday on March 28, 2026.
A Moment for Reflection?
For Kristina Conti, an assistant counsel at the ICC, Duterte’s time in detention may represent something deeper.
She described it as a “soft era of self-reflection and peace.”
Many victims of the drug war, she added, actually wish Duterte many more birthdays.
Their hope?
That he lives long enough to see justice served.
Remembering the Victims
Meanwhile, anti-Duterte groups in Europe say birthdays and celebrations should also come with remembrance.
Organizations like the Duterte Panagutin Network Europe continue to honor the thousands of people who died in the war on drugs.
For activist Icai Enriquez, birthdays are a privilege that many victims never got to celebrate again.
That is why their families continue to speak out.
They want the world to remember the lives lost.
The Case Is Still Moving
While the judges deliberate on the confirmation of charges, other legal battles continue behind the scenes.
One issue raised by prosecutors involves the roles of several Filipino lawyers who appeared alongside Duterte’s defense team.
The prosecution questioned whether these lawyers are officially part of the defense lineup or not.
Kaufman said his team has already submitted a confidential response to the court.
For now, the judges are reviewing the documents.
And the ICC itself refuses to speculate on what will happen next.
What Happens Next?
For now, the future of the case rests in the hands of the ICC judges.
They will decide whether the charges against Duterte will move forward to a full trial.
Not public opinion.
Not political pressure.
Just the law.
As Massidda of the victims’ counsel reminded everyone, legal proceedings are not only about the accused.
They are also about the people who suffered.
And for the families of the victims, the fight is far from over.
