The Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has unanimously upheld a decision to keep former Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in detention while awaiting trial over alleged abuses linked to his anti-drug campaign.

In a determination released by the court’s Appeals Chamber, judges affirmed the earlier ruling of Pre-Trial Chamber I that denied the defense’s request to review Duterte’s detention.

“The Appeals Chamber unanimously confirms the Impugned Decision,” the court said in its ruling, effectively rejecting all arguments raised by Duterte’s legal team.

Duterte’s defense had argued that the Pre-Trial Chamber I committed legal and factual errors when it refused to consider a report submitted by the defense, claiming it constituted a new fact or changed circumstance that could affect the former leader’s detention.

However, the Appeals Chamber dismissed the argument and ruled that the Pre-Trial Chamber I did not commit an error in its assessment. It concluded that the defense failed to demonstrate sufficient grounds to overturn the earlier decision.

The former Philippine president has been in detention at the ICC facility in The Hague, Netherlands, since March 12, 2025, while awaiting trial over allegations linked to his controversial war on drugs during his tenure as mayor of Davao City and later as president of the Philippines.

The Pre-Trial Chamber I recently held hearings in February to determine whether the charges against Duterte should be confirmed and if the case should proceed to a full trial.

On the final day of the confirmation of charges hearing, Duterte’s defense lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman, said the former president has “accepted his fate,” including the possibility that he could die in detention as the proceedings continue.