Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has appeared in person at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, where he is due to be tried for alleged crimes against humanity.
He is facing charges over his bloody war on drugs, which saw tens of thousands of small-time drug dealers allegedly executed summarily.
The 81-year-old wore a dark suit and white shirt on Wednesday, which marked the first time he has been seen in person since his arrest in Manila 18 months ago. He did not speak but waved at family members in the public gallery when proceedings ended.
Until now he had appeared before the court by video link and then 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 .
The first trial date is scheduled for 30 November.
The war on drugs was the centrepiece of Duterte’s presidency, which ran from 2016 to 2022. He argued peace and order was necessary to grow the economy.
The ICC is looking at killings from 1 November 2011, when Duterte was mayor of Davao, a sprawling southern metropolis, until 16 March 2019, when he withdrew the Philippines’ membership in the ICC.
Duterte’s lawyer Peter Haynes recently told the court his client was suffering from “significant memory impairment”, making him unable to engage with his legal team. Prosecutors argued otherwise.
Judges are deliberating whether Duterte is mentally fit to be tried and have ordered a medical assessment by three specialists.
That assessment has not been made public but according to AFP, defence lawyers say it shows Duterte thinks he is living in 2007 or 2008, that he is 84 or 85 years old, and was found to be unable to recall Donald Trump’s name.
Relatives of those killed in Duterte’s brutal anti-drugs campaign watched the proceedings over a livestream in Manila.
Llore Pasco, who lost two sons, told Reuters: “We’re happy that he has finally appeared and that he looks OK. In fact, he looks like he has put on weight.”
Randy Delos Santos, who lost his teenage nephew in 2017, told AFP he was happy to see Duterte in court, adding: “We hope that his being physically fit will help speed up the hearings.”
