Former Philippine President Duterte appears in person before the ICC for the first time

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is appearing in person for the first time before the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Wednesday, which is prosecuting him for thousands of summary executions allegedly committed in the name of the war against drug traffickers and users, AFP observed.

Arrested in March 2025, he is the first former Asian head of state to appear on trial before the ICC, which tries those responsible for the world's most serious crimes, including war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The 81-year-old former head of state, who was in power from 2016 to 2022, appeared via video conference for his initial court appearance. He seemed confused and tired, speaking in a barely audible voice. He has since avoided attending various hearings, his defense citing failing health.

Dressed in a dark suit and a white shirt, without a tie, the former president remained impassive at the opening of the debates, his chin resting on his hands.

The presiding judge, Joanna Korner, noted his presence in court for the first time and clarified that he could leave the room at any time without having to ask the judges for permission.

Rodrigo Duterte is being prosecuted on three counts of crimes against humanity. Prosecutors accuse him of involvement in at least 76 murders committed between 2013 and 2018 as part of his campaign against drug users and dealers.

The court has set November 30 as the start date for the trial, which could last several months, or even several years.

Wednesday's hearing was a so-called "pre-trial" hearing, during which the parties and the judge settle various aspects of the procedure and its organization.

His defense argues that he is not mentally fit to follow the procedure and that his health continues to deteriorate.

On Tuesday, his lawyers claimed that he was suffering from "significant memory problems that prevent him from retaining recent information and reliably recalling some of his memories."

The judges must determine whether he is mentally fit to stand trial and have ordered a medical evaluation by three experts.

This assessment has not been made public, but according to the defense, these tests showed that Duterte believes he is in 2007 or 2008, thinks he is 84 or 85 years old, and is unable to remember the name of the current US president.

"Kill thousands of people"

During the hearings in February, the prosecution accused Duterte of killing thousands of people suspected of being drug dealers or users, first when he was mayor of Davao, then when he was president.

"Decades of murdering his own people, of murdering the children of the Philippines, and he claims to have done it all for his country. He does not deny it," said Julian Nicholls, summarizing the prosecution's arguments at the end of the hearings.

"He ran a death squad in Davao, which he himself had created," Mr. Nicholls insisted.

"His promise was to kill thousands of them, and he did it."

The true number of people killed during his campaign in the Philippines is estimated to be in the thousands, and lawyers for the victims have argued that a full trial could encourage more families to come forward.

His lawyer at the time, Nicolas Kaufman, had stated in court in February that his client "absolutely maintained" his innocence.

Mr. Kaufman had told the ICC judges that the evidence against him was "totally insufficient" and that the prosecution was "seriously unfounded and politically motivated".

He had argued that, despite his speeches marked by "boasting and hyperbole", Duterte had also frequently ordered authorities to fire only in cases of self-defense.

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