Human rights lawyers decried Rodrigo Duterte’s request to absent himself at the confirmation of charges against him at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday, saying it is “an act of cowardice.”
The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) through its president Ephraim Cortez said Duterte is wasting the opportunity to confront his accusers by “acting like a scared old man” in repeatedly refusing to make an appearance in court.
“Without his bodyguards and cordon sanitaire, he could not muster enough courage to confront his accusers,” Cortez said.
Duterte in a statement on Wednesday said he has informed the ICC of his request to not make an appearance during the hearings from February 23 to 27.
Duterte said he understands the consequences and that his decision is part of his defense team’s challenge to the sufficiency of the prosecution’s evidence against him.
He added that he does not recognize ICC’s jurisdiction over my person he claims he was “kidnapped” when arrested by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) with the assistance of the Philippine National Police in behalf of the ICC in March 2025.
He accused Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of “facilitating” his “kidnapping” by providing a plane specially chartered for the purpose.
Duterte also denied overseeing a policy of extra-judicial killing during his incumbency as Davao City mayor and Philippine president as an “outrageous lie.”
“These claims have been peddled by my political opponents for many years,” he said, and “are based on the word of individuals whose credibility has been thoroughly discredited.”
‘Frail, senile’
Duterte added he also does not wish to attend legal proceedings that he “will forget within minutes,” again making claims of his memory going bad.
“I am old, tired, and frail. I wish for this Court to respect my peace inside the cell it has placed me,” he said.
The former president also said he has accepted the fact that he could die in prison in The Netherlands.
The ICC meanwhile said it will discuss Duterte’s request and will make a public announcement before the session starts on February 23.
NUPL said Duterte’s request will likely be granted by the ICC.
Cortez said it is Duterte’s right to be present during the confirmation of charges proceedings against him as part of due process.
“But personal presence can be waived, like what Duterte is doing now,” Cortez told Kodao.
Duterte had previously refused to make physical appearance during hearings seeking his temporary release from the ICC detention centre at the Scheveningen District of The Hague.
“What we saw when he was presented before the ICC in March 2025 was a scared old man. No defiance,” Cortez said, adding Duterte was unlike Iraq’s Saddam Hussein and Venezuela’s Nicholas Maduro did who were defiant when they faced their accusers.
Instead, Duterte “cowered in fear like a dog with its tail between its legs,” Cortez said.
Cortez said Duterte is wasting his chance to confront his accusers by “chickening out.”
“Without his bodyguards and cordon sanitaire, he could not muster enough courage to confront his accusers,” he said.
In contrast, the NUPL said the grieving mothers of Duterte’s victims are relentless and fearless in seeking justice for their relatives.
“[They] are bold and courageous enough to confront the one responsible for the death of their relatives,” the group said.
Family members of some of the victims are reportedly on their way to The Netherlands to personally witness the hearing. # (Raymund B. Villanueva
