THE HAGUE | Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appeared in person before the International Criminal Court on Wednesday for the first time since his transfer to The Hague in March 2025, as judges continued proceedings in the case stemming from alleged killings linked to his administration’s war on drugs.
Duterte, 81, appeared in the courtroom wearing a black suit and white shirt but did not speak during the hearing. The proceedings included consideration of his health and ability to participate in the trial, after his lawyers argued that cognitive decline has affected his capacity to stand trial. The ICC has scheduled the opening of the trial for Nov. 30.
The appearance followed months of legal proceedings at the Hague-based court. In April, ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I unanimously confirmed three counts of crimes against humanity involving murder and attempted murder and committed Duterte to trial. The court’s ruling concerns alleged crimes committed in the Philippines between 2011 and 2019, including the period when Duterte was president from 2016 to 2022 and earlier years when he was mayor of Davao City.
The prosecution’s case centers on allegations that Duterte was responsible for killings carried out as part of a state or organized policy targeting people suspected of involvement in illegal drugs. The ICC’s April decision identified 45 victims in the confirmed charges, comprising 43 alleged murders and two alleged attempted murders. These are allegations to be tested at trial, and Duterte remains entitled to the presumption of innocence.
Duterte was arrested in the Philippines on March 11, 2025, following an ICC warrant issued four days earlier, and was surrendered to ICC custody on March 12. He had not appeared physically in the courtroom since his transfer and previously participated in proceedings remotely.
The case has its roots in the ICC’s investigation into the Philippines. The country became a party to the Rome Statute, the treaty establishing the ICC, in 2011. The Duterte administration later announced the country’s withdrawal, which took effect on March 17, 2019. The ICC has maintained that the withdrawal did not remove its jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed while the Philippines was a member of the court.
The court’s jurisdiction was challenged by Duterte’s defense, but the ICC Appeals Chamber confirmed that the court could continue investigating alleged crimes within its jurisdiction. The February 2026 confirmation-of-charges hearing subsequently examined whether the evidence met the threshold required for the case to proceed to trial.
The Philippine government’s position has remained that the country no longer recognizes the ICC’s authority following its withdrawal from the Rome Statute. Duterte’s transfer to The Hague nevertheless proceeded after Philippine authorities detained him and surrendered him to the court under the circumstances of the ICC warrant.
Duterte’s drug war began shortly after he took office in 2016 and became one of the defining and most controversial policies of his presidency. Philippine police have reported thousands of deaths in anti-drug operations, while human rights organizations have documented additional killings and alleged abuses involving police and unidentified gunmen. The precise number of deaths remains disputed, with government and human rights groups using different methodologies and definitions.
The Hague proceedings now move toward the trial phase, where prosecutors and Duterte’s defense will present evidence and arguments concerning the allegations. The November trial date marks the next major stage in a case that has remained under international scrutiny since the ICC investigation was formally opened.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
