At 81, Rodrigo Duterte entered the International Criminal Court in The Hague in person for the first time — a quiet, wordless appearance that nonetheless carried the weight of tens of thousands of lives lost in his war on drugs. The court, which has been examining killings stretching back to his time as mayor of Davao, is now weighing whether he is mentally fit to face a November trial for crimes against humanity. His presence, however brief and silent, offered something to the families of the dead that years of video hearings had not: the visible fact of accountability beginning to take shape
Duterte appears in person at ICC for crimes against humanity trial
Tens of thousands of small-time drug dealers were allegedly summarily executed during Duterte's war on drugs; relatives of victims attended proceedings seeking justice.
We're happy that he has finally appeared and that he looks OK.
Mark
So he actually showed up. After eighteen months of video calls and missed hearings, Duterte walked into The Hague in person. What changed?
Mimi
His lawyers had been arguing he was too sick to appear. But the court wasn't convinced, so they ordered a medical assessment and called a status hearing to see if he could actually stand trial. His presence was partly a response to that pressure.
Luke
But we should be careful here. The medical assessment exists, but it hasn't been made public. What we know about his condition comes from defence lawyers citing it to the press. That's not the same as independent confirmation.
Mark
Fair point. So what do the people who lost family members think about all this?
Mimi
They watched it on livestream in Manila. Some of them said they were relieved to see him in court, that he looked physically well. One woman whose two sons were killed said he even looked like he'd gained weight. For them, his presence felt like a step toward justice.
Luke
Which is understandable, but it's worth noting that his appearance doesn't change the facts of the case. The trial hasn't started yet. November 30 is the first date. This was just a hearing about whether he's fit to be tried.
Mark
And the bigger picture—his daughter is Vice-President and she's in her own legal trouble. Is that connected?
Mimi
They were allies with Marcos in 2022, but that alliance broke apart. The breakdown between Sara Duterte and Marcos created the political space for her father's arrest. Now she's facing an impeachment trial herself, and she's also positioning herself to run for president in 2028.
Luke
It's a complicated family story, but we should be precise: her impeachment is separate from his ICC case. She's charged with misusing public funds and making threats. Those are domestic Philippine charges, not international ones. The two cases exist in the same political moment, but they're distinct.
Mark
So what happens next?
Mimi
The trial begins at the end of November. The court will have to decide whether he's mentally fit to proceed. If he is, the case moves forward. If not, it could stall indefinitely.
Il Polso
- After 18 months of video appearances and skipped hearings, Duterte physically entered the Hague courtroom — a moment that shifted the emotional weight of the entire proceeding.
- His defence insists cognitive decline has left him unable to assist his own legal team, citing reports that he believed the year was 2007 and could not recall Donald Trump's name; prosecutors call this a performance.
- Three court-appointed medical specialists have conducted an evaluation, but their findings remain sealed as judges determine whether the November 30 trial date can hold.
- Families of victims watching via livestream in Manila found unexpected solace in his appearance — one mother who lost two sons noted he looked well-fed, and took that as a sign the process might finally move forward.
- The trial does not exist in a vacuum: the political alliance that once shielded Duterte has collapsed, his daughter faces her own impeachment, and the outcome of these proceedings will ripple through Philippine dynastic politics for a generation.
At 81, Rodrigo Duterte entered the International Criminal Court in The Hague in person for the first time — a quiet, wordless appearance that nonetheless carried the weight of tens of thousands of lives lost in his war on drugs. The court, which has been examining killings stretching back to his time as mayor of Davao, is now weighing whether he is mentally fit to face a November trial for crimes against humanity. His presence, however brief and silent, offered something to the families of the dead that years of video hearings had not: the visible fact of accountability beginning to take shape.
Rodrigo Duterte entered the International Criminal Court in The Hague on a Wednesday morning in a dark suit, moving through the courtroom for the first time since his arrest at Manila airport eighteen months ago. He did not speak. When it was over, he waved at family members in the gallery — a small gesture that nonetheless marked a turning point in a case shadowing the final chapter of his political life.
The former Philippine president faces charges of crimes against humanity tied to his war on drugs, which defined his presidency from 2016 to 2022 and left tens of thousands of small-time drug dealers allegedly executed without trial. The court's jurisdiction covers killings dating back to November 2011, when Duterte was mayor of Davao, through March 2019, when he withdrew the Philippines from the ICC. Until this week, he had appeared only by video link — and had skipped multiple hearings entirely.
His lawyers argued he was too cognitively impaired to stand trial, claiming he believed the year was 2007 or 2008, thought himself older than he is, and could not name Donald Trump. Prosecutors rejected the claims. Judges ordered a formal evaluation by three specialists — results not yet made public — and convened Wednesday's hearing to assess whether proceedings could continue. The first trial date remains set for November 30.
In Manila, relatives of the dead watched over livestream. Llore Pasco, who lost two sons, said she was glad he had finally appeared and that he looked healthy. Randy Delos Santos, whose teenage nephew was killed in 2017, hoped Duterte's visible fitness would speed the hearings along. For these families, his presence in the courtroom was itself a form of reckoning.
The trial unfolds against a turbulent political backdrop. Duterte's daughter, Vice-President Sara Duterte, is locked in a feud with President Ferdinand Marcos — a rupture of the alliance that brought them both to power in 2022 and the very rupture that created the conditions for Duterte's arrest. Sara now faces her own impeachment trial on charges of misusing funds and threatening the lives of Marcos and others. She remains a frontrunner for the 2028 presidential race. The fate of the father, then, is entangled with the future of a dynasty — and with the shape of Philippine politics for years to come.
Rodrigo Duterte walked into the International Criminal Court in The Hague on a Wednesday morning wearing a dark suit and white shirt. At 81, he moved through the courtroom for the first time in person since his arrest at Manila airport eighteen months earlier. He did not speak. When the proceedings ended, he waved at family members sitting in the public gallery. It was a small gesture, but it marked a turning point in a case that has consumed the final chapter of his political life.
The former Philippine president faces trial for crimes against humanity stemming from his war on drugs, a campaign that defined his presidency from 2016 to 2022. Tens of thousands of small-time drug dealers were allegedly executed summarily during those years. The International Criminal Court is examining killings that span from November 2011, when Duterte was mayor of Davao, a sprawling southern city, through March 2019, when he withdrew the Philippines from the court's jurisdiction. Until this week, he had appeared before judges only by video link, and he had skipped multiple hearings altogether.
His lawyers had argued that his health was deteriorating too severely for him to stand trial. They claimed significant memory impairment prevented him from working with his legal team. According to reports citing the defence, a medical assessment suggested Duterte believed he was living in 2007 or 2008, that he thought himself 84 or 85 years old, and could not recall Donald Trump's name. Prosecutors disputed these claims. The judges ordered a formal medical evaluation by three specialists, results that have not been made public, and called Wednesday's status hearing to assess whether he could proceed. The first trial date is set for November 30.
In Manila, relatives of those killed in the anti-drugs campaign watched the proceedings over livestream. Llore Pasco, who lost two sons, told a news agency: "We're happy that he has finally appeared and that he looks OK. In fact, he looks like he has put on weight." Randy Delos Santos, whose teenage nephew died in 2017, expressed similar sentiment, saying he hoped Duterte's apparent physical fitness would accelerate the hearings. For these families, his presence in court was itself a form of accountability after years of waiting.
Duterte's appearance comes amid a broader political upheaval in the Philippines. His daughter, Vice-President Sara Duterte, is locked in a bitter feud with President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, a rupture of the alliance that swept them both to power in 2022. That breakdown created the political opening for Duterte's arrest. Sara Duterte is now fighting her own battle: an impeachment trial on charges of misusing public funds and threatening to have Marcos, the first lady, and a congressman assassinated. If convicted, she will be barred from running for office. She is also a frontrunner for the 2028 presidential election, where Marcos cannot seek a second term. The trial of the former president, then, unfolds against a backdrop of dynastic struggle that will shape Philippine politics for years to come.
Citazioni salienti
We're happy that he has finally appeared and that he looks OK. In fact, he looks like he has put on weight.— Llore Pasco, who lost two sons in the anti-drugs campaign
We hope that his being physically fit will help speed up the hearings.— Randy Delos Santos, whose teenage nephew was killed in 2017
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Crime & Justice