Hague Court Begins Hearing On Ex-Philippine President's Case

Rodrigo Duterte is accused of dozens of murders.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on Monday, February 23, opened a series of confirmation hearings on charges against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. He is accused of at least 78 murders during the country's campaign against drug crime from 2011 to 2019, DW reports.

The 80-year-old former Philippine president has been imprisoned in the Netherlands for nearly a year. He failed to show up for the first hearing on a defense motion that was granted by the court.

Duterte's supporters and opponents alike demonstrated outside the ICC building.

ICC deputy prosecutor: Duterte personally authorized extrajudicial killings

"He authorized the killings and personally chose some of the victims," said ICC deputy prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang. He said Rodrigo Duterte has played a key role in the extrajudicial executions of suspected drug traffickers and users, first as mayor of Davao City and since 2016 as the country's president.

The start of the hearing in The Hague was described by the ICC deputy prosecutor as "a reminder that those in power are not above the law."

After the week-long hearing, ICC judges are expected to decide whether to launch a full-fledged trial against Duterte. A decision is expected to be made in May.

The former Philippine president's lawyer Nicholas Kaufman rejected the charges, calling them "extremely baseless and politically motivated." "He dedicated himself to public service, to a life dedicated to law and order," Kaufman said of the Filipino politician. Kaufman described Duterte as a "president of the people" who has always defended the interests of the poor.

Rodrigo Duterte, during his tenure as mayor of Davao and later president of the Philippines, waged a relentless fight against drug crime, which has claimed an estimated 30,000 victims, according to human rights organizations. In March 2025, Duterte was detained on an ICC warrant in the Philippines and transferred to a court in The Hague.

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