LIVE UPDATES: Rodrigo Duterte confirmation of charges hearing at ICC (Feb. 26, 2026)

Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s defense counsel on Thursday slammed the International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecution’s star witnesses as “self-confessed murderers” who were handed to them on a silver platter.

In his final submissions on the merits, Nicholas Kaufman said the prosecution relies on the evidence it obtained from “the criminals it has recruited,” whom he deemed unreliable for being “self-confessed vicious murderers.”

“The Prosecution’s star witnesses are self-confessed murderers and most of their statements were taken by the Prosecution’s investigators with the assurance of limited use, namely that anything self-incriminating would not be used against them in proceedings at the ICC,” he said.

Duterte’s lead counsel said the witnesses are testifying in return for immunity.

There were redactions in the live broadcast for the third day of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s confirmation of charges hearing due to his team’s disclosure of information that could lead to the identification of victims and witnesses, the International Criminal Court (ICC) Pre-Trial Chamber I said.

“The chamber has decided to maintain the reductions that were applied earlier and reminds the defense not to disclose information that may not be necessary,” Presiding Judge Iulia Antoanella Motoc said.

According to Motoc, the ICC prosecution requested the redactions, a motion that the defense opposed. 

Nicholas Kaufman, former President Rodrigo Duterte’s legal counsel at the International Criminal Court (ICC), on Thursday asked if anyone has thought of investigating President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as Kaufman claimed that the vigilante killings continued even after Duterte stepped down from office.  

“There is no reason to believe that Duterte’s disappearance from the political scene would have frustrated the ongoing incidents of murder at the hands of state agents or vigilantes,” Kaufman said.

He made the remarks during the defense’s submissions on the merits during the ICC’s continuation of the confirmation of charges hearings on Duterte’s alleged crimes against humanity.

“Clearly, I’m forced to ask myself whether anyone on the other side of this room has thought of investigating the Marcos regime and the related phenomenon and holding someone accountable,” he added.

Allegations that investigators of the International Criminal Court (ICC) were assisted by some Philippine government officials are meant to sabotage the confirmation of charges hearing against Rodrigo Duterte, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV said Thursday.

“Ang intention dito is to sabotage the whole ICC proceedings, compromised lahat sasabihin nila, eh di, idi-dismiss 'yung kaso. Hindi ako magugulat na gamitin ito ni [defense counsel Nicolas] Kaufman para humingi siya ng mistrial,” Trillanes said. 

(The intention is to sabotage the whole proceedings, to allege that everything they say is compromised, so that the case will be dismissed. I would not be surprised if Kaufman uses this to ask for a mistrial.)

The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecution’s own witnesses have explained that “neutralization” during police operations means to arrest, not to kill, the lawyer of ex-President Rodrigo Duterte said on Thursday.

During the continuation of the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I’s confirmation of charges hearings, lawyer Nicholas Kaufman said they are submitting that “neutralization” denotes “lawful restraint.”

“Witnesses P1158 and P1170 explained that neutralize means to arrest or to incarcerate through legal means. It did not mean to kill,” he said.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte did not issue specific orders to kill drug suspects in the course of his campaign to dismantle the illegal drug trade, his lawyer Nicholas Kaufman told the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday.

Duterte faces charges of crimes against humanity in relation to killings in his anti-narcotics campaign when he was Davao City mayor and president.

"There is no smoking gun in this case, and it is not for want of a desperate attempt to find one on the part of the prosecution with all their leading questions when they interviewed their criminal cooperating witnesses," Kaufman told the judges of the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I on the third day of the confirmation of charges hearing.

THE HAGUE – On the eve of Day 3 of the International Criminal Court's (ICC) confirmation of charges hearing against former President Rodrigo Duterte, ICC assistant to counsel Kristina Conti warned the kin of drug war victims to prepare for expected online attacks.

Such attacks, Conti said, are also likely against civil society organizations and the media covering the ICC proceedings. The public, she said, should be ready for this.

It is the choice of former President Rodrigo Duterte not to attend the pre-trial hearing of his crimes against humanity charges before the International Criminal Court. 

This was the statement of Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro when asked for comment on the ICC granting the request of  Duterte to skip detention hearing. 

“Ang Pangulo po kasi at ang administrasyon na ito ay hindi po makikialam sa nasabing hearing. Kung ang nais po ng dating Pangulong Duterte ay hindi magpakita sa taumbayan, kaniya pong desisyon iyan,” Castro said in a briefing.

(The President and his administration will not intervene in the said hearing. If he doesn’t want to appear, it’s his decision.) 

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has granted former President Rodrigo Duterte’s request to skip his detention hearing scheduled on February 27, 2026.