Duterte in person at ICC for first time over ‘war on drugs’ killings

Former Philippine president accused of setting up death squads faces trial starting on November 30.Published On 16 Sep 202616 Sep 2026Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has appeared in person for the first time at the International Criminal Court (ICC), where he is charged with crimes against humanity for killings during his “war on drugs“.Prosecutors accuse Duterte, who was arrested and transferred to The Hague-based court in March 2025, of creating, funding and arming death squads that targeted drug users and dealers. Duterte denies the charges, saying he only ordered police to act in self-defence as part of his anti-drug offensive.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Philippine court orders arrest of VP Duterte over President Marcos threatslist 2 of 3Death toll from Philippine ferry fire rises to 76list 3 of 3Philippines’ Muslim-majority Bangsamoro region votes for first parliamentend of listThe 81-year-old remained silent during Wednesday’s session, which covered his health, evidence disclosure and the timetable of the trial due to open on November 30. He had missed earlier hearings on medical grounds, with his lawyers saying cognitive decline has left him unf...