Former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has appeared at the International Criminal Court to face murder charges related to his so-called war on drugs.
The 81-year-old was charged with crimes against humanity in 2025 for setting up, funding and arming death squads that targeted narcotics peddlers and users.
ICC prosecutors have said as many as 30,000 people may have been killed in the enforcement action.
Former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte appeared in the courtroom for the first time since being transferred to the International Criminal Court 18 months ago to face murder charges regarding his war on drugs.
Mr Duterte, 81, served as president from 2016 to 2022, before being charged with crimes against humanity for setting up, funding and arming death squads that targeted narcotics peddlers and users.
He was arrested and taken to The Hague in March 2025.
Dressed in a black suit and white shirt, Mr Duterte did not speak in court, on Wednesday, local time, but sat quietly sipping water during the proceedings.
He stood and waved to family members in the public gallery.
"We're happy that he has finally appeared and that he looks OK. In fact, he looks like he has put on weight," said Llore Pasco, whose two sons were killed during Mr Duterte's war on drugs, watching a television broadcast of the hearings from Manila.
In court, Presiding Judge Joanna Korner asked prosecutors to find ways to shorten the trial, set to begin in November, due to the defendant's age and health.
"It's important this trial goes ahead as quickly as possible," she said, pressing parties to limit the number of witnesses and focus on evidence.
Mr Duterte's attorney, Peter Haynes, called disclosure by the prosecution "enormous and impossible" and said his team could never examine tens of thousands of pieces of evidence in time.
"If I had a younger and healthier client, I would request pushing back the trial by six months," he said.
Details of Mr Duterte's condition were not discussed in open court Wednesday, local time, but his lawyers have said he suffers from cognitive decline that affects his memory and daily functioning, and is not well enough.
In January, ICC judges said Mr Duterte's health was good enough for him to follow proceedings and requested his presence in court, rather than by video link from the detention unit.
The warrant for Mr Duterte says he was responsible for a systematic campaign that led to thousands of killings between 2011 and 2019, including his time as the mayor of the southern city of Davao.
Police said 6,200 suspects were killed during anti-drug operations. Mr Duterte said he instructed police to act in self-defence and told supporters he was ready to "rot in jail" if it meant ridding the Philippines of illicit drugs.