Manila, Philippines — July 18, 2025 — The legal team of former President Rodrigo Duterte has formally requested the International Criminal Court (ICC) Pre-Trial Chamber to convene an urgent status conference ahead of the scheduled confirmation hearing on September 23, where he faces accusations of crimes against humanity.
In a publicly released request, Duterte’s defense team emphasized the need to address several unresolved procedural matters before the hearing. The defense noted that these pending issues are crucial to ensuring a fair and transparent process moving forward.
Among the concerns raised by the former president’s lawyers are:
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A formal request for interim release
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A motion to disqualify two ICC judges allegedly due to perceived bias over the question of jurisdiction
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A challenge to the ICC’s authority to prosecute the former president, citing the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute
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Lack of access to certain documents that were either redacted or withheld from the defense
The defense argued that holding the status conference before 5:30 p.m. (Netherlands time) on July 25 would help determine the most efficient path forward, especially regarding matters that remain unclear due to redacted content in key documents.
They also pointed out that the summer recess of the ICC begins shortly after, and the court is not expected to resume until August 19. The defense believes the conference would prevent further delays and ensure that all parties are prepared for the September proceedings.
As the case against Duterte continues to draw international attention, his camp maintains that the ICC no longer has jurisdiction over him, following the Philippines’ formal withdrawal from the Rome Statute in 2019. The ICC, however, previously ruled that it retains jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed while the Philippines was still a member state.
