Duterte to appear at ICC to address fitness for trial

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has ordered former President Rodrigo Duterte, 81, to appear in court on Wednesday, September 16, 2025, to assess his fitness to stand trial for murder charges related to his war on drugs. This marks his first public appearance since his transfer to the ICC in March 2025. Duterte served as president from 2016 to 2022 and faces charges of crimes against humanity for allegedly creating, funding, and arming death squads that targeted narcotics peddlers and users during his tenure. Judges had stated in January that Duterte's health was good enough for him to follow proceedings and requested his presence in court, rather than via video link from detention. His lawyers, however, argue that the former president suffers from cognitive decline and is not well enough to stand trial. Duterte's arrest warrant states he was responsible for a widespread and systematic campaign that led to thousands of killings between 2011 and 2019, including during his time as mayor of Davao City. ICC prosecutors estimate that as many as 30,000 people may have been killed in the crackdown, details of which were reported in a Reuters investigation. According to police, 6,200 suspects were killed during anti-drug operations. Duterte has stated he instructed police to act in self-defense and told supporters he was ready to "rot in jail" if it meant ridding the Philippines of illicit drugs.