Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appeared before judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday via videoconference, following his recent arrest in Manila on murder charges related to his controversial “war on drugs” while he was in office.

The 79-year-old did not attend the court hearing in The Hague in person but participated through a video link from a detention centre nearby where he is being held.

Presiding Judge Iulia Antoanella Motoc explained that Duterte was allowed to participate remotely due to his recent long flight.

During the session, Duterte, dressed in a jacket and tie, listened to proceedings with headphones, occasionally closing his eyes. He spoke briefly in English to confirm his name, and his date and place of birth but was not required to enter a plea.

Duterte’s lawyer, Salvador Medialdea, criticised the arrest of his client.

“He was summarily transported to The Hague,” Medialdea said. “To lawyers it’s extrajudicial rendition. For less legal minds it’s pure and simple kidnapping.”

Medialdea argued that Duterte had been denied access to legal recourse in the Philippines, framing the arrest as politically motivated.

Motoc has scheduled a pretrial hearing for 23 September to determine whether the prosecution’s evidence is strong enough to proceed with a full trial. If the case advances to trial and Duterte is found guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Medialdea also mentioned that Duterte had been under medical observation at a hospital due to health concerns.

However, the judge told the court that the attending doctor deemed Duterte mentally alert and fit for the proceedings.

Protests outside court

Protesters both for and against Duterte gathered outside the court in The Hague on Friday.

Human rights groups and victims’ families have hailed his arrest as a historic triumph against state impunity. Activists marched in the Philippine capital region, demanding justice for the thousands of suspects killed in Duterte’s brutal drug war crackdowns.

Other groups set up large screens to allow families of suspects killed in the crackdowns to watch the ICC proceedings.

Meanwhile, the former president’s supporters have slammed what they call the government’s surrender of a political rival to a court whose jurisdiction they dispute.

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte, who is the former president’s daughter, met with supporters outside the court. After the proceedings, she was allowed to visit her father in the court’s detention centre.

Allegations against Duterte

Prosecutors accuse Duterte of being an “indirect co-perpetrator” in multiple murders, alleging that his actions amounted to a crime against humanity. The charges stem from his alleged involvement in overseeing killings from November 2011 to March 2019 — first during his time as mayor of the city of Davao and later as the president of the Philippines.

The prosecution alleges that as mayor, Duterte issued orders to police officers and other “hitmen” who formed the so-called Davao Death Squads. He directed them to target criminals, including drug dealers, and gave specific clearance for certain killings, the prosecutors say.

According to the charges, Duterte not only recruited and financed the killers but also provided them with weapons and other resources, all while promising protection from prosecution.

The document seeking an ICC warrant for Duterte said that prosecutors built their case using evidence including witness testimony, speeches by Duterte himself, government documents and video footage.

Duterte’s legal team said that Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration shouldn’t have allowed the global court to take custody of the former leader because the Philippines is no longer a party to the ICC.

Harry Roque, the former presidential spokesperson of Duterte, said he has applied to be accredited as one of the ex-president’s lawyers. If approved, he would raise what he said was Duterte’s illegal arrest by Philippine authorities and the ICC’s lack of jurisdiction over the Philippines, which withdrew from the global court when Duterte was the president.