A general view of the International Criminal Court. file photo

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has set on today (Friday), former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s first appearance at the court to face charges of crimes against humanity filed against him.

The 79-year-old ex-president will appear before judges for a hearing where he will be informed of the crimes he is alleged to have committed, as well as his rights as a defendant.

Duterte stands accused of the crime against humanity of murder over his years-long campaign against drug users and dealers that rights groups said killed tens of thousands of people.

As he landed in The Hague, the former leader appeared to accept responsibility for his actions, saying in a Facebook video: “I have been telling the police, the military, that it was my job and I am responsible.”

Current President Ferdinand Marcos and Vice-President Sara Duterte — Rodrigo’s daughter — are at loggerheads, with the latter facing an impeachment trial over charges including an alleged assassination plot against Marcos.

Sara Duterte is in The Netherlands to support her father, after labelling his arrest “oppression and persecution”, with the Duterte family having sought an emergency injunction from the Supreme Court to stop his transfer.

But victims of the “war on drugs” hope that Duterte will finally face justice for his alleged crimes.

The high-profile Duterte case also comes at a critical moment for the ICC, as it faces unprecedented pressure from all sides, including US sanctions.

Last month, US President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on the court over what he said were “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel.”

The ICC has issued an arrest warrant for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Gaza war.