Rodrigo Duterte Appears at The Hague Over War on Drugs Crimes Against Humanity Charges
The Facts
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, 81, appeared in person at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. He served as president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He faces charges of crimes against humanity related to allegations that he set up, funded, and armed death squads that targeted drug dealers and users during his administration's war on drugs.
How different outlets are framing this
With only a single source available — ABC News Australia — a meaningful multi-outlet framing comparison cannot be conducted. What can be noted is that ABC News AU's framing emphasises the criminal nature of the alleged conduct through specific language, describing Duterte as having 'set up, funded and arming death squads,' which presupposes a degree of direct organisational responsibility. The outlet also uses scare quotes around 'war on drugs,' a stylistic choice that subtly signals scepticism toward the legitimacy of the policy framing Duterte himself used.
The brevity of the available article means it is impossible to assess what other angles — such as Philippine domestic political reaction, Duterte's legal defence, victim advocacy perspectives, or geopolitical implications for ICC jurisdiction — are being emphasised or omitted across the broader media landscape. A fuller framing analysis would require articles from Philippine outlets, European sources, and international wire services to identify divergences in tone, sourcing, and emphasis.
Source Articles
- ABC News AU16 Sept, 16:00Duterte appears in person at The Hague over 'war on drugs' killings
The 81-year-old served as president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022, before being charged with crimes against humanity for setting up, funding and arming death squads that targeted narcotics peddlers and users.