THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS – The International Criminal Court (ICC) has ordered the prosecution to submit all evidence it intends to use against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte no later than July 1, 2025, ahead of the confirmation of charges hearing set for September 23.
This includes witness statements, video and audio evidence, translations, and all relevant documentation under Rule 77 of the ICC Rules. Any material submitted after this deadline will not be considered during the confirmation hearing, the Pre-Trial Chamber 1 emphasized.
ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan previously revealed that the evidence includes two witnesses, 16 hours of audio-video recordings, and nearly 9,000 pages of documents.
However, the court stated that the prosecution must still provide any exonerating evidence discovered after the deadline.
Victim Participation and Representation
The ICC also addressed the issue of victim participation. It accepted identity documents submitted by the Registry, while reserving judgment on declarations verified by two witnesses on a case-by-case basis. Duterte’s defense had earlier objected to certain identification methods.
In an effort to streamline proceedings, the court ordered the formation of a common legal representation for victims. Until officially appointed, the Office of Public Counsel for Victims will handle the collective interests of those involved.
The directive was signed by Presiding Judge Iulia Motoc, Judge Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou, and Judge Maria del Socorro Flores Liera.
Duterte is currently detained at the ICC detention center in The Hague as he faces charges of crimes against humanity for the controversial war on drugs, which left an estimated 6,000 to 30,000 people dead, depending on sources.