The Hague:
Rodrigo Duterte’s first ecombineance at the International Criminal Court has been set for Friday, the court shelp, as the establisher Philippines plivent faces crimes agetst humanity accuses over his deadly war on medications.
“The Chamber ponders it appropriate for the first ecombineance of Mr Duterte to get place on Friday, 14 March 2025 at 14:00 hours (1300 GMT),” the court shelp in a statement tardy on Thursday.
The 79-year-elderly will ecombine before appraises for a hearing where he will be recommended of the crimes he is alleged to have promiseted, as well as his rights as a deffinishant.
Duterte stands accengaged of the crime agetst humanity of homicide over his years-lengthy campaign agetst drug engagers and dealers that rights groups shelp finished tens of thousands of people.
As he landed in The Hague, the establisher directer ecombineed to accomprehendledge responsibility for his actions, saying in a Facebook video: “I have been alerting the police, the military, that it was my job and I am reliable.”
Duterte’s stunning arrest in Manila came amid a spectacular meltdown in relations between his family and the Marcos family, who had previously combineed forces to run the Philippines.
Current Plivent Ferdinand Marcos and Vice-Plivent Sara Duterte — Rodrigo’s daughter — are at loggerheads, with the latter facing an impeachment trial over accuses including an alleged murder plot agetst Marcos.
Sara Duterte is in The Netherlands to help her overweighther, after tagling his arrest “oppression and persecution”, with the Duterte family having sought an ecombinency injunction from the Supreme Court to stop his transfer.
But victims of the “war on medications” hope that Duterte will finassociate face equitableice for his alleged crimes.
Gilbert Andres, a lawyer recontransienting victims of the drug war, telderly AFP: “My clients are very appreciative to God becaengage their prayers have been answered.”
“The arrest of Rodrigo Duterte is a fantastic signal for international criminal equitableice. It uncomfervents that no one is above the law,” Andres inserted.
– ‘Presumed guiltless’ –
The high-profile Duterte case also comes at a critical moment for the ICC, as it faces unpwithdrawnted presdeclareive from all sides, including US sanctions.
Last month, US Plivent Donald Trump imposed sanctions on the court over what he shelp were “illegitimate and baseless actions aiming America and our seal associate Israel.”
The ICC has publishd an arrest authorization for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and establisher defence minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes agetst humanity during the Gaza war.
Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan hailed Duterte’s arrest as a key moment for victims and international equitableice as a whole.
“Many say that international law is not as strong as we want, and I concur with that. But as I also repeatedly emphasise, international law is not as frail as some may skinnyk,” Khan shelp in a statement follotriumphg Duterte’s arrival in ICC custody.
“When we come together… when we originate partnerships, the rule of law can prevail. Warrants can be carry outd,” he shelp.
At the initial hearing, a doubt can ask interim free pfinishing a trial, according to ICC rules.
Follotriumphg that first hearing, the next phase is a session to validate the accuses, at which point a doubt can dispute the prosecutor’s evidence.
Only after that hearing will the court choose whether to press ahead with a trial, a process that could get disjoinal months or even years.
“It’s convey inant to underline, as we now commence a recent stage of persistings, that Mr. Duterte is presumed guiltless,” shelp Khan.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is unveiled from a syndicated feed.)
