Judges in The Hague will inform the former president of the crimes against humanity he is accused of having committed.
The Philippines’ former President Rodrigo Duterte will make his first appearance at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague to face charges of crimes against humanity related to his deadly war on drugs.
“The Chamber considers it appropriate for the first appearance of Mr. Duterte to take place on Friday, 14 March 2025, at 14:00 hours (13:00 GMT),” the court stated late on Thursday.
Duterte is accused of the crime against humanity of murder for his years-long campaign against drug users and dealers, which rights groups claim resulted in the deaths of as many as 30,000 people.
The 79-year-old former leader was handed over by the Philippines to the Hague-based court on Wednesday, making him the first Asian leader to be charged before the international tribunal.
During the hearing on Friday, Duterte will appear before judges to be informed of the crimes he is alleged to have committed, as well as his rights as a defendant.
Upon arriving in the Netherlands on Wednesday, the former leader appeared to accept responsibility for his actions, stating in a Facebook video: “I have been telling the police, the military, that it was my job and I am responsible.”
Duterte’s swift arrest in Manila and transfer to the ICC occurred amid a dramatic breakdown in relations between his family and the Marcos family, who had allied during the 2022 Philippine presidential elections and won by a landslide.
Current President Ferdinand Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte – Rodrigo’s daughter – are now at odds, with the latter facing an impeachment trial over charges, including an alleged assassination plot against Marcos.
Sara Duterte is in the Netherlands to support her father, having described his arrest as “oppression and persecution.”
Gilbert Andres, a lawyer representing victims of the drug war, stated that Duterte’s arrest “is a great signal for international criminal justice. It means that no one is above the law.”
Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan also praised Duterte’s arrest as a pivotal moment for victims and international justice as a whole.
“It’s important to underline, as we now start a new stage of proceedings, that Mr. Duterte is presumed innocent,” said Khan.
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