ICC sets trial date for former President Duterte over alleged crimes against humanity

THE HAGUE - Judges at the International Criminal Court on Wednesday set November 30 as the start date for the trial of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who is charged with crimes against humanity during his war against drugs.

The ICC has charged Duterte, 81, on three counts of crimes against humanity involving the murders of at least 76 people and the attempted murder of two others.

Prosecutors say the alleged crimes were committed during Duterte's anti-narcotics campaign, which they say killed thousands of civilians broadly between 2016 and 2022.

Duterte, who waived his right to be present at Wednesday's hearing, has long insisted he instructed police to kill only in self-defence and has always defended the crackdown.

Duterte was arrested and taken to The Hague in March 2025 and is being held in the ICC's detention centre.

Lawyers for the former president have argued he is unfit to stand trial because of cognitive decline, but the court has so far ruled he can follow and participate in hearings with some adjustments in sitting times.

Trials at the ICC, the world's only permanent war crimes court, generally last several years before reaching a judgment.

If convicted, Duterte faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

-Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg; Editing by David Holmes/Reuters