The Philippine News Agency reported that the presiding judge of the first pre-trial chamber, Yulia Motsyuk, stated that considering Duterte had just undergone a long flight and was affected by jet lag, the court allowed him to attend the hearing remotely from the detention center in The Hague.
The International Criminal Court stated that during the hearing, the judge verified Duterte's identity and informed him of the charges against him and his rights under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
According to recent reports from Philippine media, Duterte's legal team is actively seeking bail. Duterte was detained by the police upon his return from abroad and arrival at Manila International Airport on the 11th of this month, where an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court was presented to him. The plane carrying Duterte arrived in The Hague on the 12th.
Duterte launched an anti-drug campaign during his tenure as the mayor of Davao City and the president of the Philippines. In February 2018, the International Criminal Court notified the Philippine government that it would conduct a "preliminary investigation" into whether Duterte's anti-drug crime campaign violated human rights.
The reason Duterte ended up in the dock in The Hague stems from his previous "war on drugs" as mayor of Davao City and president, where he took a hard stance on drug enforcement, causing a significant uproar and offending many. The International Criminal Court targeted this issue, alleging that he committed "crimes against humanity" and initiated an investigation, issuing an arrest warrant, and Interpol also issued a red notice. The Philippine police acted immediately, arresting Duterte upon his return to the country, and then sent him to The Hague. This series of actions was swift and interconnected. Duterte's arrest did not sit well with his supporters.
According to Xinhua News Agency, the former Philippine President Duterte recently posted a video on social media discussing his current situation and stated, "I will take responsibility for everything." Duterte has now arrived in The Hague, Netherlands, where the International Criminal Court is located. This video was filmed on the plane en route to The Hague.
In the video, he said, after a long journey, "I am fine, please do not worry." Duterte discussed the anti-drug war during his administration in the video. He said, "I believe it was related to the law and order at that time. I told the police and the military to do their job, and I will take responsibility... I have always stood in front of law enforcement and the military regarding past events."
After Duterte's arrest, the spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately made a statement, urging the ICC to exercise its powers prudently and avoid politicizing the situation. This indicates that the Chinese officials had already anticipated that Duterte's arrest would not be the end of the matter, and the ICC might continue to cause trouble. It can be said that the current situation is indeed as expected. The ICC, as an organization that has been questioned by many in recent years, must consider China's warnings, and it remains to be seen whether they will actually issue a warrant for Duterte's allies.
Last week, the Philippine military issued an urgent statement, stating that there was no dissatisfaction among the soldiers regarding Duterte's arrest, as arresting Duterte was a law enforcement issue, not within the concern or jurisdiction of the military, and the military would not favor any party.
There is no smoke without fire. Since the military has come forward to clarify, there must be something unusual, even if there were no large-scale protests within the military, some unrest on a smaller scale is likely, given Duterte's significant influence within the Philippine military.
Additionally, upon landing in The Hague, Duterte also conveyed a message to the Philippine military police through social media, stating that he was the leader of the law enforcement and military, had promised to protect them, and would take all responsibility, continuing to serve the country.
As a "tough guy" in Philippine politics, Duterte's achievements are well recognized. During his tenure, he was known for his "iron-fist drug prohibition," dedicated to strengthening police forces, combating crime, and enforcing strict laws, significantly improving the security situation in the Philippines. He said it was not an exaggeration to say that he brought peace to the Filipino people.
In the economic sector, he strengthened cooperation with China, vigorously developed infrastructure projects, and established close transportation links between major cities and islands in the Philippines, greatly enhancing the efficiency of goods transportation and personnel movement, which greatly benefited the domestic agricultural and sideline products.
