Harry Roque, also a lawyer seeking to represent him in the ICC case, said the question of jurisdiction over the Philippines, which withdrew from the global court when Duterte was president, should be addressed before any further proceedings.

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,