Duterte appears in person before the International Criminal Court for the first time

On Wednesday, former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appeared in person for the first time before the International Criminal Court, where he faces charges related to his “war on drugs” that killed thousands, according to Agence France-Presse.

The 81-year-old former president had previously appeared via video technology during his first appearance before the court in The Hague, but he has since been absent from several sessions, and the defense team attributed this to the deterioration of his health condition.

Duterte, wearing a dark suit and white shirt without a tie, sat with a serious expression as the proceedings began, supporting his chin with his hands.

Presiding Judge Joanna Corner referred to his appearance before the court for the first time, explaining that he could leave the courtroom at any time without having to ask the court for permission.

Duterte faces three charges of crimes against humanity, as prosecutors accuse him of involvement in at least 76 killings between 2013 and 2018 during his campaign against drug users and drug dealers.

He is the first former Asian head of state to be tried before the International Criminal Court, which prosecutes individuals for the most serious crimes in the world, such as war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Judge Koerner set November 30 as the date for the start of the trial, which could last months or even years.

Wednesday's session was dedicated to discussing the status of the case and determining procedural and organizational details.

Lawyers argued about the evidence presented by the prosecution, who said it included about 15,000 items, while the defense estimated its volume at more than 62,000 documents.

“It's an enormous amount,” defense attorney Peter Haynes said. This is impossible,” adding: “We do not have the slightest opportunity to read” this amount of documents before the trial begins.

“The current status of the case is chaotic,” Duterte's lawyer added. If my client were younger and in better health, I would have asked you to postpone the trial for six months... but he is not.”

Corner criticized the prosecution for “comprehensive dumping” of documents, and urged both parties to work together to reduce the size of the case file.

Duterte's only appearance since his arrest in March 2025 was during a first video session, in which he appeared confused and tired and his voice was barely audible.

His defense team confirms that he is mentally incompetent to follow judicial procedures and that his condition continues to deteriorate.

Families feel relieved

Relatives of some victims of the drug crackdown welcomed Duterte's personal appearance in court.

“Of course we are very happy that he is now able to come in person,” said Randy delos Santos, 48, the uncle of Kian delos Santos, a teenager killed by police in August 2017 when Duterte was president.

He added in statements to Agence France-Presse: “Seeing that he is physically fit makes us believe that this may be the beginning of a process that will finally give us, the victims, the justice that we have waited for so long.” “We hope his physical fitness will help speed up the sessions.”

In a memo published Tuesday, Duterte's lawyers said he suffers "significant memory damage that prevents him from retaining recent information and reliably recalling memories."

Judges are examining whether he is mentally competent to stand trial, and have ordered three experts to conduct a medical evaluation of him.

The assessment was not made public, but Duterte's defense team cited test results included in the report.

According to the defense, examinations showed that Duterte believed he lived in 2007 or 2008, that he was 84 or 85 years old, and that he was unable to remember the name of the current US president.

During hearings held in February, prosecutors accused Duterte of killing thousands of people suspected of being drug dealers or users, first while he was mayor of Davao and then during his presidency.

Julian Nickels said, at the conclusion of the prosecution’s case: “Decades of killing his own people, killing the children of the Philippines, and claiming that he did it all for the sake of his country. He does not deny that.”

“He was running an assassination squad in Davao that he created himself,” he added, referring to the city where Duterte served as mayor before assuming the presidency.

The actual death toll during Duterte's campaign in the Philippines is believed to be in the thousands, while lawyers for the victims say a full trial could encourage more families to come forward.

Duterte's then-lawyer, Nicholas Coffman, told the court in February that his client "absolutely" maintained his innocence.

Kaufman added before the judges of the International Criminal Court that the evidence against Duterte was “completely insufficient,” and that the accusations were “grossly misplaced and politically motivated.”

Duterte remains popular in the Philippines, where many have supported his tough approach to fighting crime.