Duterte faces court in The Hague over drug war killings

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appeared in court at the International Criminal Court in The Hague on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, for a pretrial hearing. He faces charges of crimes against humanity for his role in the "war on drugs" that led to thousands of deaths during his time as mayor of Davao City and as president. Duterte, 81, did not speak during the hearing, which focused on his health and fitness to stand trial, set to begin in November. His lawyers argue he has cognitive decline, but judges ruled him fit to participate.