Former President Rodrigo Duterte will not attend ICC pre-trial hearings

AMSTERDAM- Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte will not be present at pre-trial hearings in his case of alleged crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court next week, the court said on Friday.

Judges granted the request by Duterte's defence to waive his right to attend the hearings, even though they said the reasons given for the absence were "speculative".

Duterte's lawyers had said he would be unable to attend hearings due to his cognitive decline.

Judges at the Hague-based war crimes court last month ruled that Duterte, 80, was fit to attend hearings, as independent medical experts had found that he would be able to understand and participate in his case.

Duterte served as president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022 and was arrested and taken to The Hague last March.

According to ICC prosecutors, Duterte created, funded and armed death squads during his war on drugs when thousands of alleged narcotics peddlers and users were killed.

Duterte has long insisted he instructed police to kill only in self-defence and has always defended the crackdown.

Hearings at the ICC next week are meant to confirm the charges of murder as a crime against humanity that prosecutors are seeking against Duterte.

Under the ICC system, judges will have to confirm the charges before the case can move to trial.

According to police, 6,200 suspects were killed during anti-drug operations under Duterte's presidency. But activists say the real toll was far higher and the ICC prosecutor has said as many as 30,000 people may have died.

-Reporting by Bart Meijer; Editing by Sharon Singleton/Reuters