Former Philippine President Duterte appears in ICC courtroom for pre-trial hearing on his health

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Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appears before the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, September 16, 2026. /VCG

Former Philippines president ​Rodrigo Duterte appeared in ‌public for the first time on Wednesday since ​being transferred to the ​International Criminal Court 18 ⁠months ago to face ​murder charges related to ​his war on drugs.

Duterte, 81, appeared in the ICC courtroom ​in The Hague for a hearing about his health and ability to stand trial, ​which ​is scheduled ⁠to begin in November.

Duterte did not ​speak in court. His ​lawyers ⁠have argued that he suffers from cognitive decline and ⁠is ​not well enough ​to stand trial.