Duterte to appear in public as ICC judges assess fitness for trial

The Hague – Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently serving an 18-month sentence at the International Criminal Court (ICC), is set to appear in court on Wednesday for the first time since his transfer. The 81-year-old had presided over the nation from 2016 to 2022, during which he faced charges of crimes against humanity for allegedly funding and leading death squads against drug dealers and users.

He was apprehended in March 2025 and ushered to The Hague. Judges will examine his health and fitness to proceed with his trial, which is slated to commence in November. His legal representatives have contended that the former leader is grappling with cognitive decline and is unfit for the proceedings. Neither Duterte's attorney nor his family have commented on the matter.

In January, the ICC acknowledged that Duterte’s health was sufficient to attend the trials in person instead of via a video link from a detention facility. The warrant against him alleges that he orchestrated a systematic and extensive campaign resulting in thousands of deaths from 2011 to 2019, with the exact toll estimated at up to 30,000 individuals.

This crackdown, reported by Reuters, involved 6,200 suspects during anti-drug operations. Duterte publicly stated that he directed his police force to take action in self-defense and promised his supporters that he was prepared to serve his prison term if it meant eradicating illicit drugs in the Philippines.