Former President Rodrigo Duterte was allowed to attend his first court appearance late Friday evening (Manila time) at The Hague “via video link” from a separate room, according to Presiding Judge Iulia Antoanella Motoc.
In the hearing streamed live via the official channels of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Motoc said Duterte was authorized to attend the hearing remotely due to his health condition, considering the long journey he had taken to get to the Netherlands.
“As Mr. Duterte made a long journey involving a considerable time difference, the Chamber authorized Mr. Duterte to follow the hearing at a distance. His counsel, however, is present with us in the courtroom,” she said.
Former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea represented Duterte at the courtroom and presented their manifestation before the ICC judges as permitted.
The session ran for 27 minutes and 35 seconds based on the livestream. It contained everything that was laid out in the published Rules of Procedure of the tribunal, which included the reading of Duterte’s rights as a defendant.
Also present in the courtroom were two other judges of the pre-trial chamber Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou and Judge María del Socorro Flores Liera, along with Lead Prosecutor Karim Khan and a courtroom officer, among others.
Editor’s Note: Updates were made throughout this story.