The Hague judges inform the former president of the crimes against humanity accused of committing him.
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will be appearing in the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the first time to face alleged crimes against humanity in the Hague over a fatal war with drugs.
“The Chamber of Commerce believes it would be appropriate for Duterte to appear first on Friday, March 14th, 2025 at 14:00 hours (13:00 GMT),” the court said in a statement Thursday.
Duterte said he was charged with murderous crimes against humanity in his long-standing murder campaign against drug users and dealers, and that rights groups have killed as many as 30,000 people.
The 79-year-old former leader was handed over to a Hague-based court by the Philippines on Wednesday, becoming the first Asian leader to be charged in an international court.
During Friday’s hearing, Duterte appears before a judge and is informed of the crime he allegedly committed and his rights as a defendant.
When he landed in the Netherlands on Wednesday, the former leader appeared to be accepting responsibility for his actions, saying in a Facebook video, “I’ve been saying that I’m police, that’s my job and I’m responsible.”
Duterte’s swift arrest and sales to the ICC in Manila came amid an epic meltdown in relations with the Marcos family, who joined forces in the Philippine presidential election in 2022 and won the landslide.
Current President Ferdinand Marcos and Vice President Sarah Duterte (the daughter of Rodrigo) are in Logger Heads.
Sarah Duterte is in the Netherlands to support her father after naming his arrest “oppression and persecution.”
Gilbert Andres, a lawyer representing victims of the drug war, said Duterte’s arrest was “a great signal for international criminal justice.” That means no one is beyond the law. ”
Prosecutor Karim Khan also welcomed Duterte’s arrest as a key moment for the victims and international justice as a whole.
“It’s important to emphasize that Duterte is seen as innocent as we are now starting a new phase of the lawsuit,” Khan said.
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