Majority of Filipinos back ICC trial for Duterte, citing need for accountability: survey

Support for Duterte’s drug war once exceeded 80 per cent, but a new poll indicates 62 per cent now want him to stand trial for it

Reading Time:4 minutes

Demonstrators hold placards as Filipino students and activists demand the conviction and imprisonment of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte during a protest in Quezon City, the Philippines, last month. Photo: Reuters

Published: 12:00pm, 15 Apr 2025

A clear majority of Filipinos now believe former president Rodrigo Duterte should stand trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) over killings linked to his bloody war on drugs, a new survey has shown – a “noticeable shift” that analysts say reflects waning public support for the once-popular leader and his hardline policies.

According to the poll by public opinion firm WR Numero, more than three in five Filipinos said it was important for Duterte to personally appear before the ICC in The Hague to face charges linked to the drug war deaths under his administration. Only 20 per cent of respondents said they disagreed, while 19 per cent were unsure.

The survey, conducted from March 31 to April 7 among nearly 2,000 respondents, was the first nationwide poll to gauge public sentiment about Duterte’s arrest since the former Philippine president was detained and flown to The Hague on March 12.

Duterte consistently enjoyed high public approval throughout his presidency, particularly for his anti-drug campaign. A 2017 Pulse Asia survey found that 88 per cent of Filipinos supported the crackdown, while a 2019 Social Weather Stations poll showed 82 per cent satisfaction, largely attributed to perceptions of reduced crime and drug use.

Rodrigo Duterte at an Asean summit in Bangkok in 2019 while he was still president of the Philippines. Photo: Reuters

Today, however, the national mood appears to have changed. More than half of respondents to WR Numero’s latest survey agreed that Duterte should be held accountable for killings under his administration’s drug war, while 61 per cent believed the investigation and subsequent trial would help uncover the truth about the deaths during the drug war. Only 21 per cent disagreed, while 18 per cent were undecided.