Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to attend a pretrial hearing at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, marking his first public appearance in over a year. The presiding judge, Joanna Korner, said she anticipated his presence, noting that Duterte had previously missed several hearings, citing medical reasons. However, the court ruled in January that he was fit enough to stand trial. This hearing is a significant step in the legal process against Duterte, who faces charges of crimes against humanity. Duterte’s alleged involvement in mass killings during his so-called “war on drugs” is the basis of the charges. This campaign, which he conducted first as mayor of Davao City and later as president, resulted in the deaths of numerous individuals, according to reports. While Duterte denies the charges, the ICC is investigating these killings, which occurred under his leadership. The court has been examining these allegations since 2018, when it launched a preliminary investigation into the drug crackdowns. Duterte was arrested in March 2025 and was originally scheduled to appear in court in September 2024. However, the hearing was delayed after the court granted a temporary postponement to assess his fitness to participate. A panel of medical experts later determined that Duterte was “fit to take part in the pre-trial proceedings.” This decision allowed the case to move forward, despite previous delays and concerns over his health. In 2018, shortly after the ICC announced its preliminary investigation, Duterte declared the Philippines would withdraw from the court. However, the court rejected this move, stating that countries cannot use their right to withdraw from the ICC’s founding Rome Statute to shield individuals from justice. Recently, the ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Ronald Marapon dela Rosa, a former national police chief under Duterte, who has since gone into hiding. Meanwhile, Duterte’s daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, is currently facing impeachment in the Philippine Senate over allegations of amassing unexplained wealth and threatening the family of the current president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. She denies these charges.