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

Former 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.

Key points

• It supported them win the 2022 elections by a landslide, paved the way for the Rodrigo Duterte's arrest at Manila airport in March 2025.
• 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.
• 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.
• When he was still president, Duterte made public he was suffering from myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune condition that causes nerve malfunction, in 2019.
• The ICC called a status hearing on Wednesday after Duterte's lawyers argued the former leader's deteriorating health had created him unfit to stand trial.

He is facing charges over his bloody war on drugs. It saw tens of thousands of small-time drug dealers allegedly executed summarily.

For context, 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.

Until now he had appeared before the court by video link and subsequently skipped multiple hearings.

For context, the ICC called a status hearing on Wednesday after Duterte's lawyers argued the former leader's deteriorating health had created him unfit to stand trial. The first trial date is scheduled in November.

Meanwhile, the war on drugs was the centrepiece of Duterte's presidency. It ran from 2016 to 2022. He argued peace and order was necessary to grow the economy.

When Duterte was mayor of Davao, a sprawling southern metropolis, to 16 March 2019, when he withdrew the Philippines' membership in the ICC, the ICC is looking at killings from 1 November 2011.

Duterte's lawyer Peter Haynes has informed the court his client suffers from "significant memory impairment", making him unable to engage with his legal team. Prosecutors argued otherwise.

When he was still president, Duterte made public he was suffering from myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune condition that causes nerve malfunction, in 2019. At 71 in 2016, he was the oldest Philippine president at the time of election.

Duterte heads to trial at the ICC as his family is caught in a high-stakes dynasty war for control of the Philippines. His daughter, Vice-President Sara Duterte, has feuded spectacularly with President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos.

In practice, the break-up of the Duterte-Marcos alliance. It supported them win the 2022 elections by a landslide, paved the way for the Rodrigo Duterte's arrest at Manila airport in March 2025.

But she is additionally fighting for her political survival in an impeachment trial, where if convicted, she will be disqualified from running for public office.

For now, philippines' Duterte seen in person for first time at International Criminal Court remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.