Philippines’ Duterte seen in person for first time at International Criminal Court

Philippines' Duterte seen in person for first time at International Criminal Court. Skip to content Menu Home | Former Philippines leader appears before ICC judges for first time Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte appears before the International Criminal Court Image Credits : Reuters Reuters 16 September 2026, 12:44 [SAST] Former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte appeared in the courtroom on Wednesday for the first time since being transferred to the International Criminal Court 18 months ago to face murder charges regarding his war on drugs.

What happened

Image source, ReutersImage caption, Rodrigo Duterte has been detained at The Hague since March 2025ByJoel GuintoPublished35 minutes agoFormer Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has appeared in person at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, where he is due to be tried for alleged crimes against humanity. The 81-year-old wore a dark suit and white shirt with no tie on Wednesday, the first time he has been seen in person since his arrest in Manila 18 months ago.

Related topicsAsiaPhilippinesRodrigo DuterteMore on this storyDuterte's first night in ICC custody is a pivotal moment for the courtPublished13 March 2025Not enough power to share: The political feud behind Rodrigo Duterte's downfallPublished11 March 2025Duterte: The provocative but popular Philippine strongmanPublished11 March 2025 The ICC is looking at killings from 1 November 2011, when Duterte was mayor of Davao, a sprawling southern metropolis, to 16 March 2019, when he withdrew the Philippines' membership in the ICC. Duterte's lawyer Peter Haynes has told the court his client suffers from "significant memory impairment", making him unable to engage with his legal team.

Duterte heads to trial at the ICC as his family is caught in a high-stakes dynasty war for control of the Philippines. Dressed in a black suit and white shirt, Duterte did not speak in court, but sat quietly sipping water during the proceedings.

The wider picture

Duterte’s attorney, Peter Haynes, called disclosure by the prosecution “enormous and impossible” and said his team could never examine tens of thousands of pieces of evidence in time. Details of Duterte’s condition were not discussed in open court Wednesday, but his lawyers have said he suffers from cognitive decline that affects his memory and daily functioning, and is not well enough. In January, ICC judges said Duterte’s health was good enough for him to follow proceedings and requested his presence in court, rather than by video link from the detention unit.

The warrant for Duterte says he was responsible for a widespread and systematic campaign that led to thousands of killings between 2011 and 2019, including his time as the mayor of the southern city of Davao. Duterte said he instructed police to act in self-defence and told supporters he was ready to “rot in jail” if it meant ridding the Philippines of illicit drugs. MOST READ Trevor Tutu, son of late Arch Desmond Tutu, passes away Parents of missing Joburg toddler fear he’s been trafficked Govt’s response to Zuma’s Gupta meeting in India under scrutiny Former KZN MEC for Human Settlements Dr Ntuthuko Mahlaba passes away Olivenhoutbosch residents protest against undocumented migrants Church urges compassion for migrants during repatriation Family of missing Gallants player Thapelo Dhludhlu receives threats Ellis Park roars as SA beat England in Nations Championship opener Iranians mourn Khamenei at Tehran farewell ceremony Iranians flock to Khamenei’s funeral after wartime death RELATED STORIES Philippines evacuates 100,000 as Fung-wong turns into super typhoon 9 November 2025, 8:02 AM Powerful 7.

He is facing charges over his bloody war on drugs, which saw tens of thousands of small-time drug dealers allegedly executed summarily. Until now he had appeared before the court by video link and subsequently skipped multiple hearings.

What has been reported

The ICC called a status hearing on Wednesday after Duterte's lawyers argued the former leader's deteriorating health had made him unfit to stand trial. The war on drugs was the centrepiece of Duterte's presidency, which ran from 2016 to 2022. In 2019, when he was still president, Duterte revealed he was suffering from myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune condition that causes nerve malfunction. At 71 in 2016, he was the oldest Philippine president at the time of election. His daughter, Vice-President Sara Duterte, has feuded spectacularly with President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos.

The break-up of the Duterte-Marcos alliance, which helped them win the 2022 elections by a landslide, paved the way for the Rodrigo Duterte's arrest at Manila airport in March 2025. Sara Duterte is a frontrunner to replace Marcos in the 2028 elections, where the incumbent is ineligible under the constitution to stand for a second term. Duterte, 81, served as president from 2016 to 2022, before being charged with crimes against humanity for setting up, funding and arming death squads that targeted narcotics peddlers and users.

What happens next

In fact, he looks like he has put on weight,” said Llore Pasco, whose two sons were killed during Duterte’s war on drugs, watching a television broadcast of the hearings from Manila. In court, Presiding Judge Joanna Korner asked prosecutors to find ways to shorten the trial, set to begin in November, due to the defendant’s age and health. He is due to be tried for crimes against humanity over thousands of deaths linked to his war on drugs.

The first trial date is scheduled in November. He argued peace and order was necessary to grow the economy. But she is also fighting for her political survival in an impeachment trial, where if convicted, she will be disqualified from running for public office. She is charged with misusing public funds and threatening to have Marcos, first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and Marcos' cousin, congressman Ferdinand Martin Romualdez assassinated.

The report has been compiled by The Daily Waves using information reported across bbc.co.uk, sabcnews.com. Details are presented according to the information available at the time of publication and may change as authorities, organisers or other relevant parties provide updates.