Families of victims of former president Rodrigo Duterte's anti-drug campaign said on Wednesday they were hopeful after seeing him appear in person before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
It was Duterte's first time appearing in person since his transfer to The Hague, and his appearance reinforced the families' belief that he is fit to stand trial.
Watching a live broadcast of the hearing in Manila, relatives said Duterte appeared healthy and expressed hope that proceedings would move ahead when trial hearings begin on November 30.
Gathering together to watch the broadcast, relatives carried banners and chanted as they called for Duterte and his alleged accomplices to be held accountable.
In The Hague, the 81-year-old sat quietly in court dressed in a black suit and white shirt.
His lawyers have said he suffers from cognitive decline that affects his memory and daily functioning, and is not well enough to stand trial.
In court, Presiding Judge Joanna Korner asked prosecutors to find ways to shorten the trial, set to begin in November, due to the defendant's age and health.
The warrant for Duterte says he was responsible for a widespread and systematic campaign that led to thousands of killings between 2011 and 2019, including his time as the mayor of the southern city of Davao.
ICC says Duterte 'shall continue to be detained'
ICC prosecutors have said as many as 30,000 people may have been killed in the crackdown, the details of which were reported in a Reuters investigation.
Police said 6,200 suspects were killed during anti-drug operations.
Duterte said he instructed police to act in self-defense and told supporters he was ready to "rot in jail" if it meant ridding the Philippines of illicit drugs.
(Camera: Jay Ereno. Editing and Writing: Adrian Portugal)