Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague have ruled that former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is mentally fit to stand trial on charges of crimes against humanity. The charges relate to his controversial war on drugs, which took place during his tenure as president.

Duterte, 81, denies the allegations. The trial is set to begin on November 30. He faces accusations of murder and attempted murder in connection with dozens of killings alleged to have occurred as part of the aggressive anti-drug campaign. If convicted, Duterte could face a life sentence.

The ICC's September 28 decision was based on an assessment from an independent panel of experts, which concluded that Duterte is capable of understanding the charges against him and the legal proceedings, including the consequences of entering a plea at the start of the trial. The panel also found him mentally fit to comprehend evidence and consult with his defense attorneys. These findings led the court to reject previous requests from Duterte’s legal team to dismiss the case on medical grounds or to have him released from custody.

Duterte was arrested in the Philippines in March 2025 and transferred to the ICC headquarters following a lengthy investigation into mass killings linked to his crackdown on drugs. These killings allegedly occurred both during his time as mayor of Davao, a southern Philippine city, and later as the country's president.

Duterte was one of Asia’s most controversial leaders while in office and is the first former head of state from the region to be detained by the ICC. Estimates of the number of deaths during his war on drugs vary widely, with official Philippine police figures citing over 6,000 fatalities, while human rights organizations allege the toll could be as high as 30,000.