The former president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, appeared before the judges at a hearing prior to the trial of the International Criminal Court through a video link. It is suspected that he is responsible for multiple murders that are equivalent to a crime against humanity during his mortal repression against illegal drugs.
The session took place on Friday after the Philippine authorities arrested Duterte in Manila by an ICC broadcast order and sent it to the Netherlands earlier this week.
Duterte appeared on the screen with a blue demand when he heard the accusations against him. When a judge asked his name, he said: “I am Rodrigo Roa Duterte.”
The court says that Duterte was allowed to participate in the online hearing because he had made a long trip that involved a considerable time difference.
The next hearing will take place on September 23. The judges will listen to arguments of the Prosecutor’s Office and the defense. Duterte will face trial if it is determined that there is sufficient evidence for accusations.
It is suspected that the former president allows extrajudicial murders in the Philippines for more than seven years as of November 2011 while supervising his “War on Drugs” campaign.
