Rowegie Abanto

Former President Rodrigo Duterte testifies at the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on extrajudicial killings, addressing alleged human rights violations from his administration’s war on drugs on October 28, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

RODRIGO-DUTERTE

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/177210270369220241028-senate hearing-duterte-MT-25.jpg" style="width:960px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Former President Rodrigo Duterte testifies at the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on extrajudicial killings, addressing alleged human rights violations from his administration’s war on drugs on October 28, 2024. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The defense team of Rodrigo Duterte at the International Criminal Court on Thursday assailed the evidence that the prosecution presented against the former president, who faces allegations of crimes against humanity over his drug war, stressing he also encouraged a &quot;lawful use of self-defense&quot; during anti-narcotics operations.</p><p>On the third day of Duterte&#x27;s pre-trial or confirmation of charges hearings, his lead counsel Nicholas Kaufman criticized the prosecution for allegedly cherry-picking 20 of Duterte&#x27;s speeches, which contained his &quot;kill&quot; rhetoric, to prove the former leader&#x27;s criminal intent for the alleged extrajudicial killings.</p><div><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">Duterte’s war on drugs more of a ‘war against the poor’: victims’ lawyer</a></div><p>He also accused the Philippine media during Duterte&#x27;s presidency of having &quot;a tendency to fixate on the salacious elements of a person&#x27;s speeches while ignoring the less interesting parts.&quot;</p><p>Kaufman pointed out that at least 10 of Duterte&#x27;s speeches as president contained &quot;an exhortation to the use of lawful self-defense.&quot;</p><p>&quot;I repeat, again for all, and for everybody&#x27;s consumption. Do not kill if you are not in danger of losing your life,&quot; he quoted Duterte as saying in an August 2016 speech.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/25/filipinos-who-justify-drug-war-deaths-need-self-examination-carpio-1609?fbclid=IwY2xjawQMm6xleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF3dzQyQTI3VTNFOXk5QUFtc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHlaDdpFu-0dTxMvOIcCf7vbS0k1OizmKjQngmZqSMUZmvl925Bp-9csDcaku_aem_xATXQIUStRi3sJF2SDcS5A">Filipinos who justify drug war deaths &#x27;up to now&#x27; need &#x27;self-examination&#x27;—Carpio</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>APPEAL FOR DUTERTE&#x27;S RELEASE</strong></div><div> </div><p>The defense also urged the ICC to order Duterte&#x27;s release as the prosecution &quot;failed&quot; to establish that the former president made a formal order of the killings.</p><p>&quot;As I have said, no smoking gun, no evidence of a direct order, solicitation or inducement with respect to anyone of the 49 incidents,&quot; said Kaufman.</p><p>&quot;No documentary record exists of a presidential order. So how could these orders being transmitted for the purpose of Article 253 B?.. You should order the prosecution to resubmit the documentation charges and its pre confirmation brief as amended and to release Mr. Duterte immediately.&quot;</p><p>The prosecution, Kaufman recalled, said that their evidence against Duterte could still stand even without his speeches.</p><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/24/icc-prosecutor-explains-roles-of-duterte-s-alleged-co-perpetrators-2106">ICC prosecutor explains roles of Duterte&#x27;s alleged &#x27;co-perpetrators&#x27;<br/></a></div><p><br/>But the British-Israeli lawyer said he is confident that the prosecution&#x27;s evidence is &quot;not substantial, rather totally inadequate.&quot;</p><p>During his term as Philippine president, Duterte in many speeches encouraged law enforcement agencies to kill drug dealers and users as well as other criminals, especially when they fight back or &quot;nanlaban&quot; in Tagalog.</p><p>He even said at one point to shoot an alleged criminal even if they did not resist arrest.</p><p>Human rights groups in the Philippines and abroad sounded the alarm on Duterte&#x27;s speeches, which also contained promises that he would protect the police force, saying his pronouncements offered law enforcement free rein to kill.</p><p>His spokespersons or aides at the time rushed to defend him, saying he should not be taken literally or that reports about his speeches were taken out of context.</p><p>Duterte also tended to flip-flop on statements or deny controversial remarks altogether.</p><p>Salvador Panelo, Duterte&#x27;s former chief presidential legal counsel, who is among Filipino lawyers attending the pre-trial hearings at The Hague, on Wednesday defended the violence in Duterte&#x27;s pronouncements, saying it was only &quot;bluster&quot; meant to intimidate criminals.</p><p>Panelo also said the former president was fond of &quot;hyperbole.&quot;  </p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>WATCH</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/8NhRTC6hdgM?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The defense team of Rodrigo Duterte assailed the evidence that the prosecution presented against the former president, who faces allegations of crimes against humanity over his drug war, stressing he also encouraged a "lawful use of self-defense" in operations.</p>

The defense team of Rodrigo Duterte assailed the evidence that the prosecution presented against the former president, who faces allegations of crimes against humanity over his drug war, stressing he also encouraged a "lawful use of self-defense" in operations.

Defense brings out Duterte speeches with 'exhortation to lawful use of self-defense'

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Defense brings out Duterte speeches with 'exhortation to lawful use of self-defense'

Rowegie Abanto,

ABS-CBN News

Published February 26, 2026 06:55 PM PHT

|

Updated February 27, 2026 02:10 AM PHT

Read More:

ICC

International Criminal Court

Rodrigo Duterte

Crimes Against Humanity

Nicholas Kaufman

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