The International Criminal Court (ICC) has given the green light for the trial of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte on charges of crimes against humanity.
The 80-year-old has been deemed fit to stand trial, the court in The Hague announced on Monday.
The preliminary proceedings are due to start on February 23.
Duterte was arrested in March 2025 on suspicion of crimes against humanity on the basis of an arrest warrant issued by the Criminal Court in Manila and flown to the Netherlands.
The prosecution accuses him of at least 43 murders committed during the country’s “war on drugs” from 2011 to 2019.
The defence had sought a suspension of the proceedings, arguing that Duterte’s poor health prevented him from following the trial.
As a result, a hearing scheduled for September was initially postponed.
Following a comprehensive medical examination, the judges rejected the request as unfounded.
The judges would now assess during the preliminary proceedings whether the evidence is sufficient to open a full trial.
The case could take years to conclude.
Duterte was president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022 and led a ruthless campaign against drug-related crime.
As mayor of the city of Davao, he had previously instructed police and the Davao “death squads” to kill “criminals, including drug dealers,” according to the indictment.
Human rights organisations estimate the number of victims at up to 30,000.
Many suspects were allegedly executed without trial.
