Former president Rodrigo Duterte appeared in person before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on Tuesday for the second consecutive month as proceedings continued in his crimes against humanity case over his administration’s war on drugs.
Duterte sat behind his defense team and wore a headset as the status conference opened. The hearing focused on procedural and logistical arrangements in preparation for his upcoming trial.
The 81-year-old former president also attended the court’s third status conference in September, following earlier proceedings in which he participated through a video link and missed other hearings.
Duterte is the first former Asian head of state to face trial before the ICC, which prosecutes individuals accused of serious international crimes, including war crimes and crimes against humanity.
He faces three counts of crimes against humanity. Prosecutors allege his involvement in at least 76 murders committed between 2013 and 2018 in connection with the campaign against illegal drugs.
The ICC has set November 30 as the start of Duterte’s trial. The proceedings are expected to continue for several months, although the full duration of the trial remains uncertain.
