ICC retains jurisdiction over Duterte's case

A video reel posted on Facebook has garnered significant attention, with supporters of former President Rodrigo Duterte using it to claim that the ICC lacks jurisdiction over his case.

The reel features Judge Tomoko Akane, president of the ICC, stating during a March 19 event that the court does not have jurisdiction if crimes occur in non-state parties by non-state persons; however, this video is selectively edited and omits crucial context.

Akane was responding to questions about ecocide or environmental crimes, not specifically Duterte's case, and her remarks were spliced together with misleading overlay text on TikTok videos implying that Duterte would be released from detention and return to the Philippines.

The ICC retains jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed while a country was still a member under Article 127 of the Rome Statute, which covers atrocities in the Philippines from November 1, 2011 to March 16, 2019.

Duterte is currently detained at Scheveningen Prison and will appear before the ICC on September 23, 2025, for a confirmation of charges hearing.

Rappler has previously fact-checked multiple claims about the ICC's jurisdiction over Duterte's case, emphasizing that the court retains jurisdiction due to crimes committed before withdrawal.