San Francisco Frontiers - ICC kicks off pre-trial hearing over Philippines' Duterte

The "confirmation of charges" sessions, taking place over four days, will determine whether there is enough evidence against Duterte to proceed to a trial.

The 80-year-old was not present in court in The Hague after it granted a defence request to waive his right to appear, despite judges ruling he was fit to take part.

Following the hearings, the judges will have 60 days to issue a written decision on whether he should face a full trial.

Rival groups of demonstrators camped outside the court. Patricia Enriquez said it was "an historic moment" for victims of Duterte's alleged crimes.

"It is emotional. It is hopeful. It is also very painful," the 36-year-old researcher told AFP.

"I'm hoping that all the Filipinos and everybody in the world will stand with us, stand with truth, stand with justice and stand with accountability," she said.

Aldo Villarta, a 35-year-old chef, said it was a "slap in the face" for the Philippines that an international court was trying the country's former leader.

"We've already suffered so long from colonization," said Villarta, who also argued that Duterte's human rights were being infringed by imprisonment.

- 'High value targets' -

ICC prosecutors have charged Duterte with three counts of crimes against humanity, alleging his involvement in at least 76 murders between 2013 and 2018.

The true number of killings during his campaign in the Philippines is thought to be in the thousands, and lawyers for the victims have argued that a full trial could encourage more families to come forward.

Duterte, who was president from 2016 to 2022, was arrested in Manila in March last year, flown to the Netherlands and has since been held at the ICC's detention unit at Scheveningen Prison.

He followed his initial hearing three days later by video link, appearing dazed and frail and barely speaking.

The first of three counts against Duterte concerns his alleged involvement as a co-perpetrator in 19 murders carried out between 2013 and 2016 while he was mayor of Davao City.

The second relates to 14 murders of so-called "High Value Targets" in 2016 and 2017 when he was president.

The third charge covers 43 murders committed during "clearance" operations of lower-level alleged drug users or pushers across the Philippines between 2016 and 2018.

Duterte denies the charges, his lawyer Nicholas Kaufman told journalists ahead of the hearing.

Human Rights Watch said the court session was "a critical step in ensuring justice for victims of the Philippines' 'war on drugs'".

The case comes with the ICC facing intense political pressure, including two rounds of US sanctions imposed since June 2025.

The Philippines left the ICC in 2019, on Duterte's instructions, but the court has ruled that it still has jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed there between 2011 and 2019.

The defence has appealed the ruling, with a decision still pending.

Duterte, the first Asian former head of state to appear before the ICC, remains popular in the Philippines, where many favoured his tough approach to crime.

V.Mitchell--SFF