Rodrigo Duterte Appears in Person at The Hague as ICC Weighs Former Leader's Fitness for Trial

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has made his first in-person appearance before the International Criminal Court in The Hague, where the former head of state is set to be prosecuted for alleged crimes against humanity. The milestone appearance marks a pivotal stage in the international tribunal’s long-running proceedings against the veteran politician over his administration's deadly anti-narcotics campaign.

The 81-year-old former leader entered the courtroom on Wednesday dressed in a dark suit and an open-collared white shirt without a tie. His physical presence marked the first time the public has seen him in person since his detention at Manila's airport 18 months ago, following a period in which he remained confined at the detention facilities in The Hague.

Prior to Wednesday’s proceeding, Duterte had engaged with the court exclusively through remote video links, and he had subsequently opted to skip multiple scheduled sessions. The ICC convened Wednesday’s specific status hearing to directly assess the state of his health and determine whether he is physically and cognitively capable of participating in his upcoming legal defense.

The central issue before the judges is a formal petition from Duterte’s defense counsel asserting that the former president’s deteriorating physical condition renders him unfit to face trial. Defense lawyer Peter Haynes argued before the chamber that his client is currently experiencing "significant memory impairment," a condition the defense contends severely inhibits his ability to instruct his legal representatives or meaningfully follow the court proceedings.

ICC prosecutors, however, have firmly challenged this assessment, arguing against the defense's claims regarding his incapacity and maintaining that the judicial process should move forward as planned. The court has tentatively scheduled the formal commencement of Duterte's trial for November, leaving the judges to weigh the conflicting medical assessments before opening arguments can officially begin.

Duterte’s medical history has previously been a matter of public record, dating back to disclosures made during his tenure in office. In 2019, while still serving as president, he made public that he was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, a chronic autoimmune disorder known to cause significant nerve and muscle malfunction. Having won the presidency at the age of 71 in 2016, he holds the distinction of being the oldest individual ever elected to the Philippine presidency.

The substantive charges against the former leader center on his signature and deeply controversial war on drugs, which defined his six-year presidency from 2016 to 2022. Prosecutors allege that the sweeping campaign led to the extrajudicial and summary execution of tens of thousands of individuals, the vast majority of whom were small-time drug dealers and users living in impoverished urban neighborhoods.

Throughout his political career, Duterte consistently championed hardline policing methods, framing the aggressive crackdowns as an indispensable prerequisite for national stability. He repeatedly maintained that harsh law-and-order measures were fundamental to restoring peace and fostering long-term economic growth across the Southeast Asian nation.

The jurisdiction and temporal scope of the ICC’s current investigation span nearly eight years of Duterte’s public service. Prosecutors are specifically examining killings that took place between 1 November 2011, when Duterte was serving as the mayor of the sprawling southern city of Davao, and 16 March 2019, the date when he unilaterally withdrew the Philippines from the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the ICC.

The international trial is unfolding against the backdrop of an intense and escalating dynastic feud back home in the Philippines. The Duterte family is currently locked in a bitter struggle for political supremacy against the family of sitting President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, upending the political landscape of the archipelago.

The two powerful dynasties had originally formed a formidable alliance that propelled them to a historic landslide victory during the 2022 general election. However, the subsequent public unraveling of that political partnership transformed the domestic environment, ultimately paving the way for Philippine authorities to arrest Rodrigo Duterte at Manila's international airport in March 2025 and transfer him to ICC custody.

The fallout from this fractured alliance has placed his daughter, Vice-President Sara Duterte, in a precarious political position. While she remains a leading contender to seek the presidency in the 2028 national elections—a race in which Marcos is constitutionally barred from seeking a consecutive second term—she is concurrently fighting an existential political battle of her own.

The vice president is currently facing an impeachment trial that could derail her political ambitions entirely. Under Philippine law, a conviction in the impeachment proceedings would result in her permanent disqualification from holding any public office, effectively eliminating her from the 2028 presidential contest.

Sara Duterte faces severe accusations, including the alleged misuse of public funds under her stewardship. Furthermore, she stands accused of issuing grave threats against President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and prominent lawmaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, who is the president’s cousin, alleging plots to have them assassinated amid the escalating rivalry between the ruling families.

As the ICC judges deliberate on whether the 81-year-old former president is competent to stand trial this November, the legal maneuvers at The Hague remain deeply intertwined with the shifting political fortunes of his family in Manila, highlighting the profound international and domestic consequences of his legacy.