Former president Rodrigo Duterte appearing for the first time before the ICC judges on March 14, 2025. Image from the International Criminal Court

MANILA — Switzerland’s Ambassador to the Philippines Nicolas Brühl said Wednesday that former President Rodrigo Duterte’s case at the International Criminal Court (ICC) was significant for both the embattled tribunal and the international community in general.

Duterte case seen as a 'gift' for embattled ICC

“The decision as such, it was done by your government. But the international public law is playing a bold role. I think that is more than relevant. And for the ICC, who have in the last years, not a lot of success. I think this case could be proof that, in this sense, they can defend human rights,” Brül said.

Switzerland is one of the 125 countries that are party to the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the ICC. At the same time, the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is also headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. 

“Human rights is important in our international public law. We defend international public law and we are part of the ICC,” he said. 

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“Specifically for Switzerland, as a small country who, international law is always defending, the ICC is an important part. It's an instrument. It's a tool. And now we have this case like other ones. But for us as Swiss and for our government, international public law is extremely important,” he added.

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Brühl said Switzerland would be watching Duterte’s case closely.

Switzerland has 68 years of diplomatic relations with the Philippines. 

A significant part of the two country's ties concerns the protection of human rights and an extensive support for the peace process, particularly in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Switzerland was involved in the peace and normalization process, as it chaired the Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Commission.

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