Philippines' Duterte seen in person for first time at International Criminal Court
He is due to be tried for crimes against humanity over thousands of deaths linked to his war on drugs.
Philippines' Duterte seen in person for first time at International Criminal Court
Rodrigo Duterte has been detained at The Hague since March 2025
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has appeared in person at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, where he is set to stand trial over alleged crimes against humanity.
He faces charges linked to his bloody war on drugs, which allegedly led to the summary execution of tens of thousands of small-time drug dealers.
The 81-year-old arrived on Wednesday wearing a dark suit and white shirt without a tie, marking the first time he has been seen in person since his arrest in Manila 18 months ago.
So far, he had only appeared before the court by video link and later missed several hearings.
The ICC scheduled a status hearing on Wednesday after Duterte's lawyers said the former leader's worsening health had left him unfit to face trial. The first trial date is set for November.
The war on drugs was the defining feature of Duterte's presidency, which lasted from 2016 to 2022. He said peace and order were needed to support economic growth.
The ICC is examining killings from 1 November 2011, when Duterte was mayor of Davao, a large southern city, to 16 March 2019, when he pulled the Philippines out of ICC membership.
Duterte's lawyer Peter Haynes told the court that his client has "significant memory impairment", which he says prevents him from working with his legal team. Prosecutors disputed that claim.
In 2019, while still president, Duterte disclosed that he had myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disease that causes nerve malfunction. At 71 in 2016, he was the oldest Philippine president elected at the time.
Duterte is heading to trial at the ICC while his family is embroiled in a high-stakes dynasty battle for control of the Philippines. His daughter, Vice-President Sara Duterte, has had a dramatic falling-out with President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos.
The collapse of the Duterte-Marcos alliance, which helped deliver their landslide victory in the 2022 elections, cleared the way for Rodrigo Duterte's arrest at Manila airport in March 2025.
Sara Duterte is a leading contender to succeed Marcos in the 2028 elections, since the incumbent cannot seek a second term under the constitution.
However, she is also fighting for her political future in an impeachment trial, where a conviction would bar her from running for public office.
She is accused of misusing public funds and of threatening to have Marcos, first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and Marcos' cousin, congressman Ferdinand Martin Romualdez assassinated.
Duterte's first night in ICC custody is a pivotal moment for the court