Former Philippine President Duterte to Appear in ICC Court for First Time in Over a Year

Rodrigo Duterte to face International Criminal Court in The Hague after missing previous hearings. Charges include crimes against humanity.

Editorial Desk

September 16, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — The Hague, Netherlands — Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is set to make his first public appearance in over a year as he prepares to attend a pretrial hearing at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

Duterte, 81, faces charges of crimes against humanity linked to his so-called war on drugs during his presidency. He has missed several hearings since his arrest last year, citing medical reasons, but the court ruled in January that he was fit to stand trial.

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The hearing will focus on evidence disclosure and setting a timeline for the trial, which is expected to begin in November. The ICC has been investigating mass killings during Duterte’s drug crackdowns since 2018, with estimates of the death toll ranging from 6,000 to 30,000.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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