LIVE UPDATES: Rodrigo Duterte at ICC Third Status Conference (Sept. 16, 2026)

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Former president Rodrigo Duterte's defense team said it considered using artificial intelligence (AI) and other electronic methods to review tens of thousands of documents related to his case, but found that a suitable AI tool could cost nearly half a million euros (almost P36.18 million).

The issue came up during Wednesday's status conference before the International Criminal Court (ICC) Trial Chamber III as Duterte's counsel Peter Haynes raised concerns over the volume and organization of evidence disclosed by the prosecution.

Duterte appeared in person before the Court for the first time since his initial appearance hearing in March 2025.

Haynes said the prosecution's evidence list contains nearly 20,000 items, compared to about 5,000 at the confirmation stage.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s defense team on Wednesday slammed the Prosecution’s disclosure of its evidence in the former official’s crimes against humanity case, saying that it is in a “terrible mess.”

During the third status conference before the International Criminal Court (ICC) Trial Chamber III, Duterte’s counsel, Peter Haynes, said that there are around 62,000 exhibits “dumped” in the Registry.

“Mr. Nicholls, I think unintentionally, has kind of muddied the waters here. Because the large disclosure package he referred to is not within that 19,000… nearly 20,000. That’s additional to that,” he said.

“And what has been dumped in the Registry is 62,500 exhibits. That 324,000 pages of evidence and over 1,000 video and audio files which run to many thousands of hours. And they’re in a terrible mess,” he added.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte appeared in the ICC courtroom ?in The Hague ?dressed in a black suit and ?white ?shirt, for a hearing about his health and ability to stand trial, ?which ?is scheduled ?to begin in November.

Duterte, 81, was seated inside the courtroom before the judges arrived, according to a report by GMA News stringer Andy Penafuerte III.

Sa ikatlong status conference ng International Criminal Court (ICC) Trial Chamber bago ang pagpapatuloy ng pagdinig sa kaso ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte, nagsagawa ng kilos-protesta ang ilang grupo ng mga Pilipinong manggagawa at naninirahan sa Netherlands nitong Miyerkoles (oras sa Pilipinas).

International Criminal Court (ICC) Trial Chamber III Presiding Judge Joanna Korner on Wednesday advised the Prosecution in former President Rodrigo Duterte’s crimes against humanity case to think about reducing the number of their witnesses. 

During the third status conference of the ICC Trial Chamber before the trial of former President Rodrigo Duterte, several groups of Filipino workers and residents in the Netherlands held a protest.

 
 

During the third status conference of the ICC Trial Chamber before the trial of former President Rodrigo Duterte, several groups of Filipino workers and residents in the Netherlands held a protest.

 
 

Former President Rodrigo Duterte attended, for the first time this Wednesday, September 16, 2026, the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) status conference in his crimes against humanity case.