Rodrigo Duterte, President of the Philippines, appeared before the International Criminal Court on Friday, charged with committing crimes against humanity during his brutal campaign against drug users.
Upon arriving in The Hague on Wednesday, Duterte stated that "he bears no responsibility" for his actions. The court reported on Thursday evening that it considers "essential that Duterte appears before the court for the first time on Friday, March 14, 2025, at 14:00 (13:00 GMT)."
The International Criminal Court is interested in investigating those charged in Duterte's address for crimes against humanity. "It's extremely important that all who have committed crimes, regardless of their position, are subjected to due judicial scrutiny," noted the prosecutor.
**Duterte stated:** "I take responsibility for everything I did and said, and I think this is fair. I did what I had to do, and I will be ready to answer for any mistakes, whatever they may be."