Joselito Malig

Article (news)

Carmelle Lacuata

Zen Hernandez

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/175733281791920250314-duterte-pre-trial-chamber-ICC.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Former Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte makes his initial appearance on Friday, 14 March 2025 before Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court. Handout/ICC"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Former Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte makes his initial appearance on Friday, 14 March 2025 before Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court. <em>Handout/ICC</em></span></span></span>MANILA (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) — The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday announced it will be postponing the hearing on the confirmation of charges against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.</div><p>In a <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.icc-cpi.int/news/duterte-case-hearing-confirmation-charges-postponed">press release</a>, the ICC said its Pre-Trial Chamber I decided to postpone Duterte&#x27;s confirmation hearing, which was supposed to start on September 23, citing a request from Duterte&#x27;s defense team.</p><p>&quot;Following a request from the Defence of Mr Duterte for an indefinite adjournment of the proceedings alleging that Mr Duterte is not fit to stand trial, the majority of the Chamber considered that a limited postponement of the hearing on the confirmation of charges was warranted to allow sufficient time to adjudicate the request and related matters,&quot; it said, adding a different date for the start of the confirmation hearing will be set at a later time.</p><p>The ICC also said Judge María del Socorro Flores Liera issued a dissenting opinion, expressing that the request of Duterte&#x27;s defense team should have been rejected, and the pre-trial proceedings continued.</p><p>The confirmation hearing is set to determine whether there is &quot;sufficient evidence to establish &quot;substantial grounds to believe that the person committed each of the crimes charged&quot;, the ICC added.</p><p>Duterte was arrested on March 11 on his arrival from Hong Kong at the request of the International Criminal Court (ICC) as part of its probe into his &quot;war on drugs&quot; that defined his presidency.</p><p>The ICC warrant for Duterte&#x27;s arrest said that as president, the 80-year-old Duterte allegedly created, funded, and armed death squads that carried out murders of purported drug users and dealers.</p><p>He was brought to The Hague in the Netherlands on the same day he was arrested.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/5/icc-registry-submits-victims-participation-applications-in-duterte-case-0758">READ: ICC Registry submits victims&#x27; participation applications in Duterte case</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/5/conflict-of-interest-duterte-legal-team-challenges-prosecutor-s-ties-to-some-victims-1001">READ: Conflict of interest? Duterte legal team challenges prosecutor&#x27;s ties to some victims</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;DISAPPOINTMENT&#x27;</strong></div><p>A legal counsel for families of victims of extrajudicial killings described the ICC&#x27;s move as a major disappointment.</p><p>&quot;The victims have been so looking forward to the confirmation of charges hearing, so I&#x27;m sure there&#x27;s disappointment on the postponement,&quot; said Atty. Joel Butuyan, President of CenterLaw.</p><p>Another lawyer for the families of victims called the ICC decision a major setback.</p><p>&quot;Disappointed ang mga biktima sa desisyon ng Pre-Trial Chamber, kahit pa naging bahagi ng scenarios namin ito. Nagngingitngit ang iba sa galit dahil may schedule na at ready na ang lahat, naunsyami pa. Pakiusap naming lahat na huwag maniwala sa kasinungalingan o kabalintunaan,&quot; said Atty. Kristina Conti, who represents the group Rise Up for Life and for Rights.</p><p>On February 10, 2025, the ICC Office of the Prosecutor applied for an arrest warrant against Duterte for crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, and rape, linked to the &quot;war on drugs&quot; and related operations. </p><p>The Pre-Trial Chamber later ruled there were reasonable grounds to believe Duterte was individually responsible, as an indirect co-perpetrator, for crimes against humanity of murder allegedly committed in the Philippines between November 1, 2011, and March 16, 2019.</p><p>A warrant of arrest was issued under seal on March 7 and reclassified as public on March 11. Duterte was arrested by Philippine authorities the following day and surrendered to the ICC in The Hague. </p><p>He made his initial appearance before the court via video link on March 14.</p><p>The ICC stressed that its proceedings remain focused on ensuring due process, both in protecting the rights of the accused and in pursuing accountability for crimes under international law.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qXBleBgGKkA??si=T8ugffvJKF_4-Cpa&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday announced it postponed the hearing on the confirmation of charges against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.</p>

The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday announced it postponed the hearing on the confirmation of charges against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

'Not fit to stand trial?' ICC postpones Duterte’s confirmation of charges hearing

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'Not fit to stand trial?' ICC postpones Duterte’s confirmation of charges hearing

Rose Carmelle Lacuata,

Zen Hernandez,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 08, 2025 07:38 PM PHT

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Updated Sep 08, 2025 08:01 PM PHT

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Rodrigo Duterte

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