asia.nikkei.com

'Martyr' Duterte seeks to capture the hearts of the Philippine public

[Comment](/Spotlight/Comment)

Some see his arrest as a calculated move to cast himself as a tragic hero

![20250326 Duterte Analysis](https://www.ft.com/__origami/service/image/v2/images/raw/https%3A%2F%2Fcms-image-bucket-production-ap-northeast-1-a7d2.s3.ap-northeast-1.amazonaws.com%2Fimages%2F8%2F3%2F8%2F1%2F49231838-3-eng-GB%2FCropped-1742962929photo_SXM2025032200009840.jpg?width=780&fit=cover&gravity=faces&dpr=2&quality=medium&source=nar-cms&format=auto)

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appears on a screen at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, on March 14. © Reuters

TORU TAKAHASHI

TOKYO -- Clad in a simple blue suit during his initial hearing at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on March 14, former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte showed little of the commanding presence he once displayed as a strongman leader.

Participating in the pre-trial proceedings in The Hague, Netherlands, via video link from a detention center about 2 kilometers away, Duterte spoke softly and haltingly in English, providing his name, date of birth and place of origin.

Read full news in source page