Duterte Appears at International Criminal Court

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has appeared in person at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the first time since proceedings against him began.

The Hague-based court is preparing to try him for crimes against humanity connected to thousands of deaths during his controversial war on drugs.

Duterte, who served as president of the Philippines, oversaw an aggressive anti-narcotics campaign that drew widespread international criticism.

Rights groups and international observers have long accused security forces of carrying out extrajudicial killings during the crackdown.

The ICC investigates cases of alleged mass atrocities when national courts are unable or unwilling to prosecute them.

Duterte's in-person appearance represents a notable development in a legal process that has unfolded largely without him physically present.

He is expected to face a full trial, though no date has yet been confirmed by the court.

Throughout his presidency and afterwards, Duterte defended the drug war as necessary to combat addiction and crime.

Critics, however, argue that the campaign resulted in widespread human rights abuses against ordinary citizens, many with no proven links to drug crime.

Families of alleged victims have pushed for years for accountability at the international level.

The case is being watched closely as a potential test of the ICC's ability to hold former heads of state accountable.

Legal experts say the outcome could influence how other leaders accused of similar abuses are treated by international justice mechanisms.

Duterte has previously denied any wrongdoing related to the campaign.

The court has not released further details on the timeline for upcoming hearings.