Judges at the International Criminal Court confirmed crimes against humanity charges Thursday against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte for his alleged role in deadly anti-drug operations during his time in office.

A three-judge panel at The Hague unanimously found "substantial grounds" to believe the 80-year-old former leader was responsible for dozens of murders, both as mayor of Davao City and later as president. The judges determined that evidence shows Duterte "developed, disseminated and implemented" a policy to "neutralize" alleged criminals.

According to ICC prosecutors, police and hit squad members carried out the killings at Duterte's direction, motivated by monetary rewards or fear of becoming targets themselves. Deputy prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang told the court in February that "for some, killing reached the level of a perverse form of competition."

Duterte, who was arrested in the Philippines last year, denies all charges. His lead defense attorney Nick Kaufman argued that prosecutors "cherry-picked" examples of Duterte's "bombastic rhetoric" and that his client's words were never intended to incite violence. Kaufman said Duterte "stands behind his legacy resolutely, and he maintains his innocence absolutely."

Estimates of deaths during Duterte's 2016-2022 presidency range from over 6,000 according to national police to as many as 30,000 claimed by human rights groups. The ICC opened a preliminary investigation in 2018, prompting the Philippines to announce its withdrawal from the court a month later. On Wednesday, appeals judges rejected Duterte's legal team's request to dismiss the case based on jurisdictional grounds.

A trial date has not yet been set. Duterte has waived his right to appear in court and was not present for any hearings, though judges found him fit to stand trial last month after earlier health concerns.