Duterte’s supporters rally in The Hague as I.C.C. weighs case

On most weekends for nearly a year, die-hard supporters of Rodrigo Duterte have gathered outside the detention center near Scheveningen Prison in The Hague, playing Filipino songs, laying out buffet tables and waving flags. Hundreds, many from across Europe, were set to rally again as the International Criminal Court opened five days of hearings to decide whether prosecutors have enough evidence to try him for the tens of thousands of people that rights groups say were killed during his drug crackdown.

Mr. Duterte has disputed the charges and said the court did not have the right to order his arrest. His detention has instead become a focal point for supporters who say it gives them reason to band together. “It’s a simple sacrifice to stand in the rain for a couple of hours for a Filipino who was taken without standing trial in his country,” said Aldo Villarta, who travels from Leiden most weeks to stand outside the prison and helps organize supporters across Europe.

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