Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was "kidnapped" before being taken to The Hague to face murder charges and is too ill to testify, his lawyer told judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday at his first hearing, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
Duterte - who arrived in the Netherlands on a flight from Manila on Wednesday after being arrested on an ICC warrant on charges of crimes against humanity - sounded exhausted as he spoke via video link from detention, confirming his name and date of birth to the court.
Defense lawyer Salvador Medialdea said Duterte was too ill to say more, that his arrest and transfer to the Netherlands were "pure and simple kidnapping" and that his client suffered from "debilitating" medical problems.
Sarah Duterte, the former leader's daughter who is the Philippines' vice president, was present in the courtroom.
At the end of the hearing, the judges said that the main hearings in the case would begin on September 23, when prosecutors could present some of their evidence and judges could decide what charges could be included in the indictment. The trial is not expected to begin until early 2026, Reuters noted.