The International Criminal Court (ICC) granted another request by detained former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte to waive his right to appear at the first status conference scheduled for Wednesday regarding his impending trial for three counts of crimes against humanity.
In a report made public on Sunday, the ICC said it grants the defense’s request but rejects his lawyer’s demand to attend remotely. Tomorrow’s conference would be Peter Haynes’ first court appearance as new defense counsel for Duterte.
In its order, the ICC’s Third Trial Chamber said the conference would discuss the commencement date of the trial and deadlines leading up to trial. It added that among the agenda would be discussions on the estimated volume of witnesses, documentary and other non-testimonial evidence to be relied upon at trial, among other concerns leading to the trial itself.
A lawyer himself, albeit non-practicing since he was appointed as Davao City vice mayor in 1986, the respondent Duterte had only appeared once at the ICC during his confirmation of identity hearing in March 14, 2025 immediately after his arrest in Manila.
His defence strategy had since centered on questioning his arrest and imprisonment at The Hague, the authority of the ICC, and appeals for temporary liberty on account of his alleged failing physical and mental health.
The ICC Pre‑Trial Chamber found that Duterte is physically and mentally able to stand as respondent in his trial, adding that the accused is well taken care of and that he suffered no slips in the past month, contrary to alarmist claims by his former defence counsel Nicholas Kaufman.
While the various ICC chambers had been lenient in allowing him to waive his rights to physically appear in hearing, his arguments and appeals against his trial had all been rejected. Instead, the ICC had confirmed three crimes against humanity charges against the former strongman, leading to current preparations for a full trial.
Duterte is the first former Asian head of state to have been arrested and imprisoned for alleged crimes against humanity. As Davao City mayor and eventually Philippine president, he is accused of masterminding a bloody war on illegal drugs that have killed tens of thousands of suspected drug dependents, mostly poor residents.
An active manhunt is being mounted against his co-perpetrator in the Philippines, his Davao City and national chief of police and current senator Ronald dela Rosa. If successfully arrested, dela Rosa would be flown to The Hague to join his former boss at the ICC Detention Centre. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
