LOOK: Ex-Pres. Duterte wears black suit, dark hair in ICC hearing

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Former President Rodrigo Duterte appeared in the ICC courtroom ​in The Hague ​dressed in a black suit and ‌white ⁠shirt, for a hearing about his health and ability to stand trial, ​which ​is scheduled ⁠to begin in November.

Duterte, 81, was seated inside the courtroom before the judges arrived, according to a report by GMA News stringer Andy Penafuerte III.

His appearance marked his first in-person attendance at an ICC hearing. On March 14, 2025, he faced the ICC hearing through video conferencing.

The former president has been detained at the ICC since his transfer to The Hague following his arrest in Manila on March 11, 2025.

In court, Duterte sat behind his defense team. In the few moments that the former official was shown in the livestream, he appeared to be listening intently.

Duterte had waived his on-site appearance at the previous two status conferences. His appearance on Wednesday came as the ICC Trial Chamber discussed preparations for his trial, including the prosecution's witnesses and evidence, disclosure of materials to the defense, additional alleged incidents and the proposed trial schedule beginning Nov. 30.

He is facing three counts of crimes against humanity over alleged killings linked to his anti-drug campaign and other operations during his time as Davao City mayor and Philippine president. The ICC confirmed all three charges in April 2026, clearing the case to proceed to trial.

Duterte has denied wrongdoing and has maintained that killings during the drug war were carried out by police in self-defense.

Reuters earlier reported that prosecutors allege as many as 30,000 people may have been killed, while official police records put the number of suspects killed in police operations at about 6,200. —LDF, GMA News