Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Families of extrajudicial killing victims gather at the University of the Philippines Diliman to watch the International Criminal Court pre-trial proceedings in The Hague involving the crimes against humanity case against former President Rodrigo Duterte.  Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

EJK- ICC

Rowegie Abanto

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177199340030020260223-icc-duterte-victim-families-up-MT10.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Families of extrajudicial killing victims gather at the University of the Philippines Diliman to watch the International Criminal Court pre-trial proceedings in The Hague involving the crimes against humanity case against former President Rodrigo Duterte. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — The prosecution team and counsels for victims of Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s drug war on Tuesday resumed building the case against the former Philippine president for charging him with crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court.</p><div><u><strong>Here are the highlights of the second day of the pre-trial or confirmation of charges hearing on Duterte&#x27;s case.</strong></u></div><div><u></u><br/></div><p><strong>1.</strong> Prosecution lawyer Edward Jeremy brought up the controversial 2016 national police memorandum issued by the former president&#x27;s then police chief, now Sen. Ronald &quot;Bato&quot; dela Rosa. Jeremy noted PNP Command Memorandum Circular No. 16-2016 ordered the &quot;neutralization&quot; of drug suspects, which one witness said <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/24/icc-prosecution-victims-counsels-submit-merits-on-day-2-of-duterte-pre-trial-1657">&quot;meant to kill.&quot;</a></p><p><strong>2.</strong> The ICC prosecution highlighted <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/24/icc-prosecution-highlights-kian-delos-santos-case-in-duterte-s-confirmation-of-charges-hearing-1906">the case of the 17-year-old Kian Delos Santos</a>, who was killed in 2017, as it laid out the alleged atrocities committed under Duterte&#x27;s &quot;Project Tokhang&quot;. Jeremy said that Delos Santos&#x27; case followed the same modus operandi used for all victims of the barangay clearance operations in which they were identified through a list and killed in police operations.</p><p><strong>3.</strong> The prosecution also <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/24/icc-prosecutor-explains-roles-of-duterte-s-alleged-co-perpetrators-2106">explained the roles of Duterte&#x27;s alleged co-perpetrators</a> in implementing his drug war during his time as mayor of Davao City and later as president. Prosecutor Robynne Croft enumerated the individuals who were allegedly part of a &quot;hierarchical structure&quot; that Duterte had created in Davao City and then expanded nationwide.</p><p><strong>4.</strong> Gilbert Andres, one of the counsels for drug war victims, stressed that Duterte&#x27;s anti-illegal drugs campaign was more of a <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/24/duterte-s-war-on-drugs-more-of-a-war-against-the-poor-victims-lawyer-2356">&quot;war against the poor,&quot;</a> saying the brutal crackdown targeted the humanity of the victims, their families, and their communities. </p><p><strong>5.</strong> The principal counsel for Duterte&#x27;s drug war victims, Paolina Massidda, urged judges of the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I to confirm the charges against the former leader, saying <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/24/victims-counsel-calls-for-confirmation-of-charges-vs-duterte-this-court-is-their-last-refuge-2321">the court &quot;is their last refuge.&quot;</a></p><p><strong>6.</strong> Duterte personally <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/24/duterte-drew-up-death-lists-boasted-about-murders-icc-prosecutor-1942">drew up &quot;death lists&quot; and boasted about murders</a> committed during his anti-narcotics drive, Jeremy, the ICC prosecutor, said. &quot;As president, Duterte publicly named persons he alleged were involved in drugs, and many of those <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/25/icc-hearing-day-2-duterte-dead-list-high-profile-drug-war-kills-and-co-perps-common-plan-0922">would end up as victims in his so-called war on drugs</a>,&quot; Jeremy said.</p><p><strong>7.</strong> Duterte faces three counts of crimes against humanity over 78 cases—with 76 murders and 2 attempted murders—which are &quot;<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/25/icc-hearing-day-2-duterte-dead-list-high-profile-drug-war-kills-and-co-perps-common-plan-0922">representative and emblematic of a larger killing campaign</a>,&quot; prosecution lawyer Robin Croft said.</p><p><strong>8.</strong> Croft also accused Philippine police officers during the drug war of <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/25/icc-hearing-day-2-duterte-dead-list-high-profile-drug-war-kills-and-co-perps-common-plan-0922">allegedly staging &quot;nanlaban&quot; scenarios</a>, which means fighting back or resisting arrest, and planting evidence to legitimize operations.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/23/duterte-maintains-his-innocence-absolutely-says-kaufman-1949">Defense urges dismissal of &#x27;politically-motivated charges&#x27;</a></div><p>The next hearing will take place on February 26 and will conclude the next day, February 27, the date when the chamber <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/25/duterte-opts-anew-to-skip-icc-detention-hearing-0157">will also conduct the annual hearing on Duterte&#x27;s pre-trial detention</a>.</p><p>ICC judges previously found that Duterte is fit to take part in the pre-trial proceedings despite his camp&#x27;s assertions of his alleged cognitive decline. But he will not be present at the proceedings, either virtually or in person, after the court allowed him to skip them. </p><p>ICC judges have 60 days to issue a written ruling following the hearings.</p><p>Revisit the highlights of the first day of Duterte&#x27;s pre-trial <a href="http://LIST: Key points from Duterte&#x27;s first ICC pre-trial hearing">here</a>.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>—From reports by Camille B. Naredo, Rose Carmelle Lacuata, Marilyn Cahatol, Zen Hernandez, and Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><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/rE1k3gBtNjY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/Z0Kgkca9eLE?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/wIgJu9nh-0M?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><strong></strong><br/></div>

<p>The prosecution team and counsels for victims of Rodrigo Duterte's drug war on Tuesday resumed building the case against the former Philippine president for charging him with crimes against humanity.</p>

The prosecution team and counsels for victims of Rodrigo Duterte's drug war on Tuesday resumed building the case against the former Philippine president for charging him with crimes against humanity.

LIST: Highlights of second day of Duterte's ICC pre-trial

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LIST: Highlights of second day of Duterte's ICC pre-trial

Rowegie Abanto,

ABS-CBN News

Published February 25, 2026 12:59 PM PHT

|

Updated February 26, 2026 11:05 AM PHT

Read More:

Rodrigo Duterte

Confirmation of Charges

Confirmation of Charges Hearing

ICC

International Criminal Court

Crimes Against Humanity

Drug War

War On Drugs

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