Filipinos closely monitor Duterte’s ICC case as opinions split on crimes against humanity

MANILA, Philippines — Public attention on former president Rodrigo Duterte remains intense as his case at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague continues to unfold, with new survey data showing sharp divisions in how Filipinos perceive the charges against him. According to the Pahayag 2025 Third Quarter Survey, nearly three in four Filipinos or 75 percent reported following news about Duterte’s ICC proceedings, suggesting his enduring influence on the national psyche three years after leaving office. The survey also revealed a pronounced regional divide over whether the charges constituted crimes against humanity. Nearly half of respondents or 47 percent agreed that they do. Support was strongest in Luzon, where 59 percent of respondents in the National Capital Region, 53 percent in North-Central Luzon, and 58 percent in South Luzon shared this view. By contrast, only 37 percent in the Visayas and 28 percent in Mindanao considered the charges crimes against humanity, reflecting differing regional perspectives on Duterte’s legacy and the human rights concerns surrounding his administration. When asked about the aspects of the ICC case they most remember, a majority of Filipinos cited Duterte’s declining health (81 percent), followed by reports of family visits at The Hague (53 percent) and the three counts of murder filed against him (50 percent). These findings suggest that, despite the controversy, Duterte continues to be a dominant and polarizing figure in Philippine politics, with the ICC proceedings shaping both public discourse and the historical narrative of his presidency. The PQ3-2025 survey was an independent, non-commissioned nationwide purposive sampling study conducted from Sept. 27 to 30, 2025. It included 1,500 registered Filipino voters randomly selected from the market research panel of PureSpectrum, a US-based panel marketplace with global operations and a regional office in Singapore. Pahayag, a corporate social responsibility initiative of PUBLiCUS Asia Inc., has tracked public opinion metrics since 2017, while Vox Opinion Research, its commissioned research arm, has conducted surveys since 2007.