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It’s official—former President Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa are taking their battle against the International Criminal Court (ICC) straight to the Supreme Court (SC). At exactly 4:27 p.m. on March 11, 2025, the SC received a petition from the two, seeking to stop the Philippine government from cooperating with the ICC’s investigation into the controversial war on drugs.

Their petition names some of the country’s top officials as respondents, including Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, PNP Chief General Rommel Francisco Marbil, and Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr., among others. The goal? To block any form of assistance, enforcement, or cooperation with the ICC’s probe.

Duterte and Dela Rosa argue that the Philippines' withdrawal from the Rome Statute in 2019 means the ICC no longer has any say over what happens in the country. They’re asking for a temporary restraining order (TRO) to put all ICC-related activities on hold while the case is being decided.

Because of the weight of this case, the SC immediately conducted a special raffle to assign it to a specific justice, following its internal rules. Those interested can access the official pleadings via the Supreme Court’s website: SC Public Pleadings.

With this high-profile legal battle now in the hands of the Supreme Court, all eyes are on the judiciary. Will the SC side with Duterte and Dela Rosa, or will the government’s cooperation with the ICC continue? Stay tuned.