From 23 to 27 February 2026, the International Criminal Court (ICC) held a hearing for the Confirmation of Charges in the crimes against humanity case against former President Rodrigo Duterte. The sole purpose of this hearing is for the judges to determine whether or not there is sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds that Duterte committed the crimes of which he is being charged. If these charges are confirmed, in full or in part, the case will proceed to trial.
Duterte’s lawyer Nicholas Kaufman failed to produce reliable testimony or any material proof that meaningfully contradicts the body of evidence already before the court and the public, instead choosing to attack the press. Kaufman claimed that the media prioritized to highlight “salacious” content over facts and curated photographs “to shock the conscience and sway the emotions.”
On the second day of the hearing, both the prosecution and the Common Legal Representative of Victims (CLRV) presented a clear and coherent picture of Duterte’s intent, his policy and the systematic violence carried out under his bloody “War on Drugs.” The consistent pattern behind the killings was highlighted: how the victims were found with packing tape wrapped around their heads, their hands bound and gunshot wounds to the head. This makes it even more reprehensible that the defense attempted to downplay the extrajudicial killings on the third day, claiming that the deaths were only a slim percentage of the total number of individuals arrested under the drug war. They aimed to reframe the killings as “lawful self-defense” and question the definition of “neutralize.”
The final day of the hearing gave a voice to the victims, who are not mere statistics as Duterte’s defense team tried to portray. The prosecution and the CLRV ensured that their long ignored voices were heard on the international stage. For years, the victims, survivors and their families have been facing political vilification. They became targets of disinformation campaigns, one example during the ongoing hearing was a manipulated photograph that was circulated online.
Following the conclusion of the confirmation of charges hearing, the ICC pre-trial chamber now has 60 days to issue a written decision on whether the case will proceed to trial. While the Filipino people, starved for justice, await the confirmation for the trial to proceed, they also await members of the current administration to be held accountable. While Duterte’s arrest is a victory for the Filipino people, it is not enough. The corrupt must also be held accountable and punished, above all current President Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte, who have both received billions from the misuse of confidential and intelligence funds. Marcos Jr. himself oversaw and approved the national budget with all the anomalies and discrepancies that were later discovered.
The Filipino people deserve to see all fascist and bureaucrat capitalist politicians locked up and paying for their crimes.