Duterte appears in person at ICC for first time since 2025 arrest

September 16, 2026 at 03:39 PM2 min

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Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appeared in person at the International Criminal Court in The Hague on Wednesday for the first time since his arrest in Manila 18 months ago. The 81-year-old faces charges of crimes against humanity over his war on drugs, which prosecutors say killed tens of thousands. The hearing was called after his lawyers argued his deteriorating health made him unfit for trial.

Key Facts

Duterte wore a dark suit and white shirt with no tie at Wednesday's hearing, his first in-person court appearance since his arrest in Manila 18 months ago.
The ICC is examining killings from 1 November 2011, when Duterte was mayor of Davao, to 16 March 2019, when he withdrew the Philippines' ICC membership.
Duterte's lawyer Peter Haynes told the court his client suffers from "significant memory impairment" that prevents him from engaging with his legal team.
In 2019, while still president, Duterte revealed he had myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune condition causing nerve malfunction.
Duterte's daughter, Vice-President Sara Duterte, is a frontrunner to replace President Ferdinand Marcos in the 2028 elections, where Marcos is constitutionally barred from a second term.

The Hague Appearance

Rodrigo Duterte appeared in person at the International Criminal Court in The Hague on Wednesday, the first time he has been seen in person since his arrest in Manila 18 months ago. The 81-year-old wore a dark suit and white shirt with no tie. Until now he had appeared before the court by video link and subsequently skipped multiple hearings. The ICC called a status hearing on Wednesday after Duterte's lawyers argued the former leader's deteriorating health had made him unfit to stand trial.

War on Drugs Charges

Duterte faces charges of crimes against humanity over his bloody war on drugs, which saw tens of thousands of small-time drug dealers allegedly executed summarily. The war on drugs was the centrepiece of Duterte's presidency, which ran from 2016 to 2022. The ICC is looking at killings from 1 November 2011, when Duterte was mayor of Davao, a sprawling southern metropolis, to 16 March 2019, when he withdrew the Philippines' membership in the ICC.

Health and Political Dynasty

Duterte's lawyer Peter Haynes has told the court his client suffers from "significant memory impairment", making him unable to engage with his legal team. Prosecutors argued otherwise. In 2019, when he was still president, Duterte revealed he was suffering from myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune condition that causes nerve malfunction. 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. 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. 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.