Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appeared in person before the International Criminal Court in The Hague to be tried for alleged crimes against humanity.
He faces charges in a bloody drug war in which tens of thousands of small-time drug dealers are believed to have been summarily executed.
The 81-year-old man was wearing a dark suit and white shirt on Wednesday. It was the first time he had been seen in person since his arrest in Manila 18 months ago. He said nothing but waved to family members in the public gallery as the proceedings ended.
So far, he has appeared in court via video link and then missed hearings several times.
The ICC scheduled a status hearing on Wednesday after Duterte’s lawyers said the former leader’s deteriorating health made him unfit to stand trial.
The first court hearing is scheduled for November 30.
The war on drugs was a central theme of Duterte’s presidency, which lasted from 2016 to 2022. He argued that peace and order were necessary for economic growth.
The ICC is investigating killings that occurred from November 1, 2011, when Duterte was mayor of Davao, a sprawling southern metropolis, until March 16, 2019, when he withdrew from the Philippines’ membership of the ICC.
Duterte’s lawyer Peter Haynes recently told the court that his client suffers from “significant memory impairment” that has left him unable to interact with his legal team. Prosecutors argued the opposite.
Judges are deciding whether Duterte is mentally fit to stand trial and have ordered a medical examination by three specialists.
That estimate has not been made public, but according to AFP, defense lawyers say it shows Duterte thinks he is living in 2007 or 2008, that he is 84 or 85 years old, and that he cannot remember Donald Trump’s name.
Relatives of those killed in Duterte’s brutal anti-drug campaign watched the action live in Manila.
Llor Pasco, who lost two sons, told Reuters: “We are glad that he has finally arrived and that he looks normal. In fact, he looks like he’s put on weight.”
Randy delos Santos, who lost his teenage nephew in 2017, told AFP he was glad to see Duterte in court, adding: “We hope his fitness will help speed up the hearing.”
