The International Criminal Court’s Trial Chamber III has officially scheduled the commencement of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s trial for November 30. At 81 years old, Duterte makes history as the first former Asian head of state to stand trial before the ICC. He faces three distinct counts of crimes against humanity, stemming from allegations that he played a central role in at least 76 murders carried out between 2013 and 2018 during his controversial "war on drugs."

While Duterte has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, the proceedings follow years of scrutiny from various human rights organizations within the Philippines. These groups have long argued that the former president’s anti-drug campaign was a systematic effort that disproportionately targeted low-level drug users and dealers, ultimately leading to thousands of extrajudicial killings across the country.