Support among Filipinos for the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) proceedings against former president Rodrigo Duterte has fallen sharply, with younger voters — particularly Gen Z — leading the decline, according to reporting in the South China Morning Post.
What Happened
The SCMP report links the fall in public backing for the ICC action to growing disinformation and widespread distrust in authorities in the Philippines. Only 32 percent of Filipino respondents across different age groups approved the ICC’s decision to prosecute Duterte in April last year, the report says — a month after he was arrested and flown to The Hague.
Survey Findings
The article highlights that the collapse in support was most pronounced among Gen Z Filipinos. While details of the survey methodology and the full dataset are not published in the excerpt, the coverage points to information campaigns and skepticism toward institutions as likely drivers of the shift in public opinion.
Background
The ICC proceedings concern alleged abuses tied to the Duterte administration’s hardline war on drugs. The case and Duterte’s transfer to The Hague generated intense debate at home, and the SCMP report suggests that subsequent public sentiment has been affected by competing narratives and mistrust in official sources.
What This Means
The decline in support among younger Filipinos underscores how disinformation and institutional distrust can reshape views of international justice. For Latin American and Panamanian readers, the story is a reminder of the political impact of online information environments and the challenges courts and human-rights bodies face in maintaining public confidence across generations and borders.
The long-term implications for the ICC’s legitimacy and the Philippines’ domestic politics will depend on how authorities, civil society and international actors respond to misinformation and rebuild trust.