A strong majority of Filipinos (59.5%) believe that former President Rodrigo Duterte should face the charges of crimes against humanity filed against him in the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The latest WR Numero Philippine Public Opinion Monitor asked respondents what they think of the ongoing ICC proceedings following the court’s confirmation of charges hearings in February.
The nationwide survey found that most Filipinos (59.5%) find it important for the former president to face his case at the ICC. In contrast, 24.5% disagree, while 16% are undecided.
Over 4 in 10 Filipinos (43%) also believe that Duterte must stay detained in The Hague so he can personally answer the charges against him. Over one-third disagree (34%), while 22% express no clear opinion.
On the question of upholding accountability, the majority of Filipinos (51%) seek holding Duterte responsible and letting him face trial over the extrajudicial killings that transpired during his war on drugs. About 29% disagree, while 19% remain on the fence.
Views on the International Criminal Court
However, respondents are divided on their perception of ICC. Around 35% trust the court to be fair in hearing Duterte’s case. Exactly a third of respondents express distrust in ICC proceedings, while about 32% are unsure whether the court can hold a fair and clean trial.
Nearly half of Filipinos (46%) are also against the country’s return to the ICC. Only less than a third of respondents (30%) want the Philippines to rejoin the ICC, while those undecided fell by 5 points, dropping from 29% last year to 24% in March.
Views on the arrest of Duterte’s ‘co-perpetrators
Despite Filipinos’ wavering trust in ICC, the nationwide survey found that many think it is still vital to hold Duterte’s co-perpetrators accountable for their involvement in the drug war.
Over half (56%) deem the arrest and detention of the ex-president’s co-conspirators important. About 2 in 10 (22%) consider it unimportant, while another 22% are still undecided.
The March 2026 nationwide survey, conducted from March 10 to 17, was done through face-to-face interviews with a nationally representative sample of 1,455 Filipinos residing in the Philippines, at a ±3% margin of error and 95% confidence level. At the subnational level, the margin of error is ±7% for the National Capital Region, ±4% for the rest of Luzon, ±6% for the Visayas, and ±6% for Mindanao, all at the same 95% confidence level.
These findings form part of the WR Numero Philippine Public Opinion Monitor, Volume 2026, Issue 9 (March 2026 National Survey).
