Duterte, 79, appeared at the hearing via videolink, with Presiding Judge Iulia Motoc citing his prior “long journey."

Malacañang has described the International Criminal Court’s pre-trial proceedings on former president Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war case as “fair,” saying that justice is now taking its course.

It was mainly intended to confirm his identity and set some matters of procedure. It was over in under 30 minutes. But none of it was merely procedural—for every minute was historic—as Filipinos watched their former leader reduced to saying his name,