The International Criminal Court starts a four-day hearing to decide if there is enough evidence to put former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte on trial.

THE HAGUE: The International Criminal Court will begin a crucial pre-trial hearing on Monday to decide whether former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte should stand trial for crimes against humanity.

The four-day “confirmation of charges” hearing will determine if there is sufficient evidence to proceed with a full trial over his deadly anti-drug crackdown.

The 80-year-old will not be present in the courtroom after the court granted a defence request to waive his right to appear. Judges had previously ruled he was fit to take part.

Following the hearing, judges will have 60 days to issue a written decision on whether the case advances.

ICC prosecutors have charged Duterte with three counts of crimes against humanity, alleging his involvement in at least 76 murders between 2013 and 2018.

Lawyers for victims argue the true number of killings is in the thousands and that a full trial could encourage many more families to come forward.

Duterte was arrested in Manila in March last year and flown to the Netherlands, where he has since been held at the ICC’s detention unit at Scheveningen Prison.

He appeared dazed and frail via video link during his initial hearing three days after his arrest, barely speaking.

The first charge concerns his alleged involvement as a co-perpetrator in 19 murders carried out between 2013 and 2016 while he was mayor of Davao City.

The second relates to 14 murders of so-called “High Value Targets” in 2016 and 2017 when he was president.

The third charge covers 43 murders committed during “clearance” operations of alleged drug users or pushers across the Philippines between 2016 and 2018.

Duterte denies the charges, his lawyer Nicholas Kaufman told journalists ahead of the hearing.

Human Rights Watch said the hearing was “a critical step in ensuring justice for victims of the Philippines’ ‘war on drugs’”.

The case proceeds as the ICC faces intense political pressure, including two rounds of US sanctions imposed since June 2025.

The Philippines left the ICC in 2019 on Duterte’s instructions, but the court has ruled it still has jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed there between 2011 and 2019.

The defence has appealed that ruling, with a decision still pending.

Duterte, the first Asian former head of state to appear before the ICC, remains hugely popular in the Philippines where many favoured his tough approach to crime.

Two demonstrations have been registered for Monday in The Hague, one in support of Duterte and another in support of the victims.

 The Sun Malaysia