Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Nicholas Kaufman, the lawyer of former president Rodrigo Duterte in his International Criminal Court case. ICC-CPI/file

Article (news)

Darylle Sarmiento

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175599522939517537150385581753715037813.jpeg.webp" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Nicholas Kaufman, the lawyer of former president Rodrigo Duterte in his International Criminal Court case. <em>ICC-CPI/file </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s defense team expects to spend around five hours to argue his case at the confirmation of charges hearing at the International Criminal Court in September.</p><p>They stressed their client &quot;did not commit any criminal offense&quot; in his administration&#x27;s war on drugs, where at least 7,000 &quot;drug personalities&quot; were killed by authorities.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/20/duterte-s-lawyers-renew-request-for-interim-release-ahead-of-icc-confirmation-hearing-0036"><strong>Duterte’s lawyers renew request for interim release ahead of ICC confirmation hearing<br/></strong></a></div><p>In a three-page document submitted to the Pre-trial Chamber 1 and dated August 22, Duterte lawyer Nicholas Kaufman listed down the defense team&#x27;s observations on how it expects the defense presentation to go.</p><p>“The Defense envisages expending 30 minutes for its opening statement and 30 minutes for its closing statement,” said Kaufman.</p><p>He added that during its main presentation, the defense will explain several key legal points, including how Duterte is being linked to the alleged crimes against humanity.</p><p>“In its oral presentation which will last 3-4 hours, the Defense will expand, inter alia, on a number of core legal issues which concern the modes of liability imputed to Mr Duterte and the contextual requirements of crimes against humanity.”</p><p>Kaufman said at the end of the document that &quot;for the sake of clarity and the historical record, Mr. Duterte did not commit any criminal offense&quot; and had instead &quot;served his city and country, faithfully and with pride, for many years.&quot;</p><p>Duterte and his supporters have said the drug war was necessary for peace and order.</p><p>Law enforcement agencies said while Duterte was president that those killed had violently resisted arrest. Reviews by the Department of Justice <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/10/20/21/doj-releases-matrix-on-52-cases-of-drug-war-deaths">found irregularities</a>, including lack of documentation like autopsy and forensic reports, in some of the operations.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/23/more-than-300-apply-to-participate-in-duterte-icc-case-as-drug-war-victims-1001"><strong>More than 300 apply to participate in Duterte ICC case as drug war victims<br/></strong></a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>WHAT IS THE HEARING FOR?</strong></div><p>Under the Rome Statute that created the ICC, the Pre-Trial Chambers hold confirmation of charges hearings to determine if “there is sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that the person committed each of the crimes charged.”</p><p>The Pre-Trial Chamber may confirm the charges it determines has sufficient evidence and commit the person to a Trial Chamber or decline to confirm charges where it finds insufficient evidence.</p><p>It may also request the prosecutor to consider submitting more evidence, conducting further investigation, or amending a charge “because the evidence submitted appears to establish a different crime within the jurisdiction of the Court.”</p><p>Duterte was arrested in March and transferred to the ICC in The Hague, the Netherlands to face a crimes against humanity case over the war on drugs.</p><p>The confirmation of charges hearing is set on September 23.</p>

<p>The ICC Pre-Trial Chambers hold confirmation of charges hearings to determine if “there is sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that the person committed each of the crimes charged.”</p>

The ICC Pre-Trial Chambers hold confirmation of charges hearings to determine if “there is sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that the person committed each of the crimes charged.”

Duterte ICC lawyer submits expected timeline for confirmation of charges hearing

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Duterte ICC lawyer submits expected timeline for confirmation of charges hearing

Darylle Sarmiento,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 24, 2025 08:33 AM PHT

Read More:

Nicholas Kaufman

International Criminal Court

Rodrigo Duterte

War on Drugs

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