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Janvic Mateo - The Philippine Star
February 18, 2026 | 12:00am
Ahead of their travel to The Hague, relatives of victims of extrajudicial killings and their lawyers, along with human rights advocates, brief the media in Quezon City yesterday on the proceedings and strategies for the upcoming confirmation of charges hearing of former president Rodrigo Duterte before the International Criminal Court.
Miguel De Guzman
MANILA, Philippines — Pre-trial judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) have denied former president Rodrigo Duterte’s request to appeal the decision declaring him fit to participate in pre-trial proceedings.
Duterte’s counsel Nicholas Kaufman had requested for leave to appeal the Jan. 26 decision of the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I.
All issues cited by Kaufman are not appealable, the judges pointed out, noting that his request “mispresented” the decision.
“It is clear that the Chamber’s reason not to rely on the defense’s medical reports was to ensure that only information emanating from impartial and neutral sources was taken into consideration in order to ultimately ensure the fairness of the proceedings,” the 11-page decision dated Feb. 13 read.
With the denial of Kaufman’s request, the Feb. 23 confirmation hearing is expected to proceed.
Duterte is detained in The Hague, charged with crimes against humanity over his bloody drug war.
Meanwhile, the ICC prosecutor said it takes no position on Kaufman’s request to disqualify the Filipino lawyers appointed by the ICC to represent victims in the proceedings.
Meanwhile, as senators hold today a caucus on the potential arrest of two senators named by the ICC as Duterte’s “co-perpetrators,” Sen. Bam Aquino yesterday asserted that Filipinos who committed crimes in the country should be prosecuted here.
“Let’s wait for the ICC’s formal declaration on Feb. 23,” he told Unang Balita.
Justice for drug war victims is best served on home soil, he claimed. — Neil Jayson Servallos
