Malacañang notes Rodrigo Duterte's 'good condition', acceptance of situation after ICC appearance

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Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte appears before the International Criminal Court, as the court hears arguments regarding Duterte's health and ability to stand trial, while he faces murder charges related to his war on drugs, in The Hague, Netherlands, September 16 2026. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw/Pool

Following Rodrigo Duterte’s personal appearance before the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague in the Netherlands on September 16, the Palace on Thursday said the former president appeared to be in good condition and appears to have accepted his current legal situation.

Duterte was arrested by Philippine authorities in Pasay City and was handed over to the ICC on March 11, 2025. He was flown via a chartered plane to The Hague where he will be tried for crimes against humanity in relation to his bloody war on drugs while he was mayor of Davao City and President of the Philippines.

“Unang-una sa mga kababayan natin, nakita naman po natin na maganda naman po ang kalagayan ng ating dating pangulo na si dating pangulong Duterte. At nakita naman namin na mukhang accepted naman niya po na magtuloy-tuloy ang hearing sa ICC. So, iyon lamang po,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a media briefing.

(First of all to our countrymen, we saw that former president Duterte is in good condition. And we saw that it seems that he has accepted that the ICC hearings are continuing.)

The former president physically appeared before ICC judges for the first time for the third status conference of his case.

While he already made an initial appearance at the court in the same month, it was via a videoconference call.

Duterte's family and allies have repeatedly slammed his arrest and subsequent detention.

The Palace has maintained that there was nothing illegal or political about the former president’s turnover to the ICC.

“Interpol asked for help, and we obliged because we have commitments to the Interpol which we have to fulfill. If we don’t do that, they will not – they will no longer help us with other cases involving Filipino fugitives abroad,” President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said on the night that Duterte was flown to The Hague. —RF, GMA News