Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has arrived at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, where he faces charges of murder as crimes against humanity linked to his brutal anti-drug campaign. This marks the first case by the ICC against an Asian former head of state.
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00:00Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte arrives at the International Criminal Court
00:09at The Hague, greeted by a crowd of supporters.
00:15After being arrested and extradited from the Philippines, the former leader seemed to stand
00:19by his war on drugs that has brought him before the court.
00:36The court says the international arrest warrant for Duterte has now been carried out.
00:41Prosecutors say Duterte oversaw death squads during his time as mayor of Davao City, and
00:59later as president during his anti-drug campaign from 2016 to 2022.
01:26Supporters of Duterte have criticized his arrest, saying the court lacks jurisdiction.
01:30The Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019.
01:34Many also worry about the living conditions for the 79-year-old while in custody.
01:42But The Hague's detention center is better equipped than most prisons.
01:46Detainees have access to exercise facilities, computers, can cook their own food, and take
01:52yoga and pottery classes.
01:57Time is also a factor.
01:59Previous ICC trials have taken 6 to 10 years from arrest to verdict, meaning that Duterte
02:05could be nearly 90 years old by the time his trial is over.
02:09But families of those killed in Duterte's drug war say it's more than he deserves.
02:28With a pre-trial process still ahead, Duterte's trial likely won't start this year.
02:33But whether he's convicted or acquitted, the ICC's first case against an Asian leader could
02:39have far-reaching impact.
02:41Patrick Chun and Chris Gorin for Taiwan Plus.