The International Criminal Court (ICC) has begun pretrial hearings for former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who is facing three counts of crimes against humanity for deadly anti-drugs crackdowns he oversaw while in office.
Duterte, 80, was not in The Hague courtroom on Monday, having waived his right to appear as prosecutors began presenting evidence to support their charges of his alleged involvement in dozens of killings as part of his so-called war on drugs.
The four-day confirmation-of-charges hearing will determine whether there is enough evidence against Duterte to proceed to a formal trial.
After the hearing, the judges will have 60 days to issue a written decision.
The case marks a reversal of fortune for Duterte, who has repeatedly cursed the ICC, and offers families of victims and survivors of his six-year war on drugs a chance at justice.
Read more here.
ICC Opens Hearings into Ex-Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte
02/23/2026
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