Rowegie Abanto

Mr Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s initial appearance took place on Friday, 14 March 2025, at 14:00 hours (The Hague local time), before Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court ("ICC" or "Court").

Article (news)

Initial appearance of Mr Rodrigo Roa Duterte

Zen Hernandez

ABS-CBN News

<div><br/></div><div><br/></div><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/178227256161220250314-duterte-pre-trial-chamber-ICC.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Rodrigo Duterte’s initial appearance on 14 March 2025 before Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court. <em>Handout</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The International Criminal Court (ICC) Trial Chamber III on Tuesday signaled that former president Rodrigo Duterte is expected to personally attend the September 7 status conference in his crimes against humanity case. </p><p>During the second status conference on Tuesday, Presiding Judge Joanna Korner noted that Duterte&#x27;s absence was allowed only because the hearing was expected to be brief.</p><p>&quot;Again Mr. Haynes, we&#x27;ve excused your client&#x27;s attendance today but as I think we made clear, it&#x27;s only because it&#x27;s a relatively short hearing,&quot; Korner told defense lawyer Peter Haynes.</p><p>Haynes acknowledged the chamber&#x27;s expectation that Duterte would appear in future proceedings.</p><p>&quot;I was going to observe of course that the movement of a detainee from the detention unit to the court is an unsettling experience even for the sturdiest of clients. But he&#x27;s fully aware that you will expect to see him sooner rather than later,&quot; Haynes said.</p><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/HtCtkd1N7so?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span>Near the end of the hearing, the chamber set tentative dates for future status conferences on July 14, September 7, October 13 and November 2.</div><p>Korner said the scheduled conferences could be canceled if there were no matters requiring discussion.</p><p>&quot;These are all dates that we put into the calendar but if it turns out there&#x27;s no need for anything to be discussed then we may vacate them. But otherwise it&#x27;s 7th of September, 13th of October and then the 2nd of November,&quot; she said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/27/duterte-s-icc-trial-to-start-november-30-2028">Duterte&#x27;s ICC trial to start November 30</a></div><p>The judge, however, singled out the September 7 conference as particularly significant because it would take place after the Chamber receives all required submissions from all the parties involved, including the prosecution trial brief and experts report concerning Duterte&#x27;s medical condition.</p><p>&quot;I rather feel the one on the 7th of September because by the time we&#x27;ve had the reports is likely to be an important one and for that certainly Mr. Haynes we would expect Mr. Duterte to be here unless there&#x27;s some medical issue,&quot; Korner said.</p><p>Under the schedule discussed during Tuesday&#x27;s hearing, the medical expert&#x27;s report on Duterte&#x27;s evaluation is due on August 18, while the Registry is expected to file the report on August 24. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/21/rodrigo-duterte-under-cell-monitoring-due-to-rare-occasions-of-fall-icc-registry-1435">ICC Registry says Duterte’s falls were ‘rare occasions,’ disputes defense claim of ‘frequent episodes’ </a></div><p>Parties and participants initially have until August 31 to submit their observations. However, prosecutors sought an additional week to file observations on the medical report, citing a heavy workload linked to other pre-trial deadlines. </p><p>Prosecutor Julian Nichols told the chamber that the prosecution would also have to submit its trial brief, witness list, evidence list and complete disclosure requirements by August 31.</p><p>&quot;What we&#x27;re asking for is one more week to file our observations,&quot; Nichols said, adding that the prosecution expected to be &quot;extremely busy&quot; during the final week of August.</p><p>The defense and the common legal representatives of victims did not oppose the request.</p><p>&quot;You can have the extra week,&quot; Korner ruled.</p><p>The chamber also addressed organizational matters involving the common legal representatives of victims, approved arrangements for the handling of confidential information, and heard the prosecution&#x27;s request to expand the page limit of its trial brief from 120 to 160 pages.</p><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/uflVb4fsBZg?&amp;pp=0gcJCT8LAYcqIYzv&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>Before adjourning, Korner delivered a reminder regarding public comments about the case, noting the intense media attention surrounding the proceedings.</p><p>&quot;This case has attracted, not surprisingly, a substantial amount of media interest in the Philippines in particular,&quot; she said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/23/amid-high-public-interest-icc-judge-issues-warning-to-counsels-vs-media-statements-1734">Amid high public interest, ICC judge issues warning to counsels vs. media statements</a></div><p>Korner emphasized &quot;the need for the media to report to the public accurately and fairly what is said in court and above all to avoid speculation.&quot; She reminded journalists that &quot;anything which is said in private session may not be reported.&quot;</p><p>The judge further criticized public comments made by defense counsel Nicholas Kaufman following appellate rulings in the case, saying some remarks were &quot;wholly inappropriate.&quot;</p><p>&quot;We see no reason why counsel should feel it necessary to make any comment to the media. The appropriate forum for counsel to raise matters is in the courtroom. Trials are not conducted by the court of public opinion but by this court during the course of the proceedings,&quot; Korner said.</p><p>Duterte faces three counts of crimes against humanity for murder and attempted murder before the ICC in connection with killings linked to his anti-drug campaign between 2011 to 2019, as mayor of Davao City and as president of the Philippines.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/23/rome-statute-requires-duterte-s-presence-at-icc-trial-1757">Rome Statute requires Duterte&#x27;s presence at ICC trial</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/17/remulla-pnp-say-no-official-communication-on-icc-warrants-vs-go-2-ex-cops-2156">DILG, PNP say no formal communication on alleged ICC warrants vs. Go, ex-cops</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/22/-invictus-rodrigo-duterte-summarizes-condition-before-icc-hearing-0639">&#x27;Invictus&#x27;: Rodrigo Duterte summarizes condition before ICC hearing</a></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/E8-CG-Bv2w8?&amp;t=5s&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>ICC Trial Chamber III presiding judge Joanna Korner on Tuesday said she wanted former President Rodrigo Duterte to attend the September 7 status conference on his alleged crimes against humanity case.</p>

ICC Trial Chamber III presiding judge Joanna Korner on Tuesday said she wanted former President Rodrigo Duterte to attend the September 7 status conference on his alleged crimes against humanity case.

ICC judge expects Duterte to attend Sept. 7 status conference

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ICC judge expects Duterte to attend Sept. 7 status conference

Zen Hernandez,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 24, 2026 12:02 PM PHT

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Updated June 24, 2026 12:42 PM PHT

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ICC

International Criminal Court

Rodrigo Duterte

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