Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Families of victims of extrajudicial killings (EJKs) receive the cremated remains of their loved ones during the 12th "Daluyan Ng Paghilom" at the Sacred Heart Parish Shrine, in Quezon City, May 25, 2023. The six cremated remains, which were blessed and turned over to their immediate family, were part of the exhumed and re-autopsied bodies of the drug war victims. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

Carmelle Lacuata

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/17721948660711772194862689.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Families of victims of extrajudicial killings (EJKs) receive the cremated remains of their loved ones during the 12th &quot;Daluyan Ng Paghilom&quot; at the Sacred Heart Parish Shrine, in Quezon City, May 25, 2023. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Office of the Prosecution of the International Criminal Court reiterated that the evidence it presented at the confirmation of charges hearing against former President Rodrigo Duterte is enough for him to be sent to trial.</p><p>In his closing statement, senior trial lawyer Julian Nicholls said it is time for Duterte to take responsibility for the crimes he bragged about on several occassions, referring to the victims of his infamous “war on drugs” during his administration.</p><p>“Three days before his transfer to The Hague, this old man, you could see it he’s up there, what does he want to be remembered as? The man with the gun, and he’s just taken credit for killing his own people. It’s time for him to take responsibility for these crimes he brags about and glories in,” he said.</p><p>“He must answer for the dead. The victims demand it, justice demands it, and for purposes of confirmation, the evidence demands it. We have proven it to the level for this to be bound over to trial. We ask you to do that, Your Honors,” Nicholls added.</p><p>Nicholls also addressed some points raised by the Defense, led by Nicholas Kaufman, during their submission of merits of the case, including the argument that the killings were a result of self-defense.</p><p>“It doesn’t matter how many times he tried to throw in a caveat. And again, this is not uncommon in crimes committed by powerful people, they try to build in a defense,” Nicholls added.</p><div><a class="fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/26/defense-brings-out-duterte-speeches-with-exhortation-to-lawful-use-of-self-defense-1855">Defense brings out Duterte speeches with &#x27;exhortation to lawful use of self-defense&#x27;</a></div><p>He also answered Kaufman’s allegations that Duterte is being targeted, when he questioned why there are no investigations in drug-related killings during the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.</p><p>“Well, his client prevented all that by withdrawing the Philippines from the Rome Statute when he thought he might be prosecuted, thereby ensuring that we would not have jurisdiction after a certain period,” he said.</p><div><a class="fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/26/-what-about-the-marcos-regime-defense-argues-ejks-not-unique-to-duterte-admin-2127">‘What about the Marcos regime?’: Defense argues EJKs not unique to Duterte admin</a></div><div><a class="fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/03/17/19/philippines-set-to-leave-icc-over-drug-war-inquiry">Philippines out of ICC amid drug war inquiry</a></div><p>Finally, Nicholls noted that Kaufman seemingly admitted that Duterte’s words cannnot be trusted, after he said that “one cannot rely on anything coming out of Mr. Duterte’s mouth”.</p><p>“Three times under oath, Mr. Duterte said in committee hearings, I have a death squad. Is Mr. Kaufman saying that his client is a liar and a perjurer who has no problem lying under oath?” he said.</p><div><a class="fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/23/duterte-maintains-his-innocence-absolutely-says-kaufman-1949">&#x27;Give Tatay Digong back to Filipinos&#x27;: Defense urges dismissal of &#x27;politically-motivated charges&#x27;</a></div><p>For Nicholls, Duterte, who had admitted several times of the existence of his death squad and even claimed the deaths that happened during his administration, believes that it was a necessary evil.</p><p>“Again, the end justifies the means. Again, for him, the murders are a necessary evil for the greater good, as we heard, right at the beginning of his career, when he was teaching police officers to plant evidence,” he said.</p><div><a class="fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/27/list-day-3-highlights-of-duterte-pre-trial-1252">LIST: Day 3 highlights of Duterte pre-trial hearing</a></div><p>Friday’s sessions mark the end of the four-day confirmation of charges hearing.</p><p>If Pre-Trial Chamber I finds there is sufficient evidence to confirm charges, it will commit the case to trial.</p><p>That will prompt the ICC Presidency to constitute a three-member Trial Chamber for further proceedings.  Judges who served on PTC I cannot be part of the Trial Chamber, which will hold status conferences, meet with parties and participants and set trial dates.</p><p>The Trial Chamber will also &quot;adopt the procedures necessary to facilitate the fair and expeditious conduct of the proceedings,&quot; ICC says on its website.</p><p>It will also rule on preliminary issues like the language, or languages, to be used at trial as well guidelines on the disclosure of evidence for trial.</p>

<p>The Office of the Prosecution of the International Criminal Court reiterated that the evidence it presented during the confirmation of charges hearing against former president Rodrigo Duterte is enough for him to be sent to trial.</p>

The Office of the Prosecution of the International Criminal Court reiterated that the evidence it presented during the confirmation of charges hearing against former president Rodrigo Duterte is enough for him to be sent to trial.

‘He must answer for the dead’: Prosecution reiterates evidence enough to bring Duterte to trial

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‘He must answer for the dead’: Prosecution reiterates evidence enough to bring Duterte to trial

Rose Carmelle Lacuata,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 27, 2026 08:29 PM PHT

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Rodrigo Duterte

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Duterte at the ICC

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