Philippines: First hearing from ex-President Duterte before the World Criminal Court

The Filipino ex-President Rodrigo Duterte is to be released for the first time in the early afternoon in front of the International Criminal Court in the Hague. The 79-year-old’s hearing was scheduled for 2 p.m. CET, the ICCHH said. Duterte was arrested on Tuesday on the basis of an international arrest warrant from the Criminal Court at the Airport of the Filipino capital Manila and handed over to the court on Wednesday.

The politician should be made the process for crimes against humanity. He will be charged at least 43 murders from 2011 to 2019, during the state so -called “war against drugs”.

The court date is streamed with a 30-minute delay on the Internet. “During the first hearing, the judges check the identity of the suspect and the language in which he can follow the procedure,” said the message. He will also be informed about the allegations and his rights raised against him.

“Systematic attack on civilian population”

Duterte was President of the Southeast Asian island state from 2016 to 2022 and died a merciless struggle against drug crime during this time. According to police, around 6,000 people were killed. However, human rights organizations estimate that there could have been up to 30,000 victims. The suspects were therefore often executed without a process.

The crimes were “part of a widespread and systematic attack on the civilian population,” said chief junction Karim Khan. According to Khan, the investigation has not yet been completed. The indictment has been investigating since 2018.

According to the Filipino message in the Netherlands, Duerte was medically examined after his arrival in the Hague. According to his own statements, he is generally doing well, it said.