Duterte, 79, appeared at the hearing via videolink, with Presiding Judge Iulia Motoc citing his prior “long journey."

The former president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, appeared before judges at the International Criminal Court in The Hague on Friday, days after his arrest in Manila on murder charges linked to the deadly “war on drugs” that he oversaw while in office.

The autocratic spectacle of Duterte’s presidency should be a warning to the United States. Protesters hold a candlelight vigil demanding justice for drug war victims, after the arrest of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte, in Quezon City on March 11, 2025.