Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appears in court in The Hague

THE HAGUE, Netherlands - Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who is facing charges of crimes against humanity, attended a hearing at the International Criminal Court in person for the first time on Wednesday, making his first public appearance in more than a year.

The 81-year old is accused of murder and attempted murder for his alleged involvement in dozens of killings as part of his so-called war on drugs while in office, first as the mayor of a southern city in the Philippines and later as president. He denies the charges against him.

He has missed a series of hearings since his arrest in 2025. Medical reasons were cited for his absence but the court's judges ruled in January that he was healthy enough to stand trial.