Amsterdam, 14 March 2025 (dpa/MIA) - Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte appeared before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Netherlands on Friday, the court said.

The 79-year-old, who landed in the Netherlands on Wednesday, is accused of crimes against humanity amid the "war on drugs" during his time in power, including the murder of at least 43 people between 2011 and 2019.

Duterte was informed of the charges against him and of his rights as a defendant.

The former Philippine leader was not present in the courtroom, but attended the session via video link from prison.

Duterte was not asked to comment on the charges. He only told the court his name and the date and place of his birth. Otherwise, he sat back in his chair, eyes closed, and followed the proceedings.

Human rights groups and relatives of victims welcomed the arrest and spoke of a triumph of justice. Hundreds of his supporters gathered in front of the court, demanding the immediate release of the former president.

Defence lawyer speaks of 'kidnapping'

His defence lawyer, Salvador Medialdea, protested against the circumstances of the arrest, describing it as a "pure and simple kidnapping." He also pointed out that his client was in poor health.

However, the judges explained that Duterte had undergone a medical examination in the Netherlands and been declared fit to stand trial.

Duterte was detained at Manila airport on Tuesday on the basis of an arrest warrant issued by the criminal court and flown to the Netherlands. He was surrendered to the custody of the ICC on Wednesday, the court said.

The charges will be reviewed in a preliminary hearing on September 23. If the judges consider the evidence to be sufficient, the way will be cleared for a trial. However, the proceedings could drag on for years. The maximum penalty can be life imprisonment.

Ruthless battle against drug-related crime

Duterte was president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022, during which time he led a ruthless fight against drug-related crime.

Police figures show that around 6,000 people were killed during the drug campaign, but human rights organizations estimate that the number was as high as 30,000.

Suspects were often executed without trial.

The arrest warrant states that there are reasonable grounds to believe that Duterte was individually responsible for murders that may be considered crimes against humanity, first as mayor of the city of Davao and later as president.

It will likely take a few months before the indictment is examined in a preliminary hearing.

The ICC has been investigating the alleged crimes in the Philippines since 2018.

Photo: epa