ICC Judges Confirm Rodrigo Duterte’s Trial: A Test of Justice or Global Political Theatre?

In a move that reverberates far beyond the courtroom in The Hague, International Criminal Court judges have ruled that former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is fit to stand trial on charges of crimes against humanity. This ruling reignites a contentious debate: should the world’s court assert authority over a sovereign nation’s chosen leader, or does this represent an overreach that undermines national sovereignty? Duterte, now in his eighties, faces serious allegations tied to his infamous "war on drugs," a campaign his critics say led to thousands of deaths. While human rights groups and victims’ families applaud this step toward what...