Rodrigo Duterte in Court: Ex-Philippines President Appears at ICC Ahead of Trial

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte made his first in-person appearance before the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Wednesday. The 81-year-old former leader attended a pre-trial status conference regarding his health and fitness to stand trial.

His defense team recently requested a neurological assessment, claiming Duterte suffers from severe memory impairment.

Duterte faces multiple counts of crimes against humanity, murder, and attempted murder. The charges stem from his deadly “war on drugs” campaign, during which human rights groups allege tens of thousands of people were killed extrajudicially by police and death squads.

The crackdown began during his tenure as mayor of Davao City and expanded nationally during his presidency from 2016 to 2022.

Duterte has consistently defended the anti-drug operations, insisting they were standard law enforcement procedures. While Duterte initially appeared via video link following his arrest, Wednesday marked the first time he sat physically in the courtroom at The Hague.

He is the first former Asian head of state to be tried by the ICC. He has been held at the ICC’s Scheveningen detention center since March 2025. His trial is currently scheduled to begin on November 30.