Kin of drug war victims hopeful ICC will confirm Duterte charges — lawyer

The families of drug war victims remain hopeful that the International Criminal Court (ICC) Pre-Trial Chamber I will confirm the charges of crimes against humanity against former President Rodrigo Duterte, a lawyers said Thursday.

This developed after the ICC Appeals Chamber denied the appeal filed by Duterte against an earlier ruling that dismissed his challenge to the court's jurisdiction.

"Malaki po 'yung pagasa nu'ng mga biktima na ma-confirm 'yung mga charges," lawyer Gilbert Andres, one of the common legal representatives for the victims, said in an interview on Unang Balita.

(They have high hopes that the charges will be confirmed.)

Andres said Duterte's defense team was not able to answer the arguments of the prosecution as well as the representatives of the victims.

In February, the pre-trial chamber concluded Duterte's confirmation of charges hearing for crimes against humanity for murder and attempted murder over alleged killings during his time as Davao mayor and president.

The Chamber is set to come out with a decision on whether to confirm the charges and commit him to trial, stop the proceedings, or to direct further investigation.

Should the charges be confirmed, Andres said that trial may begin next year, based on their estimate.

Andres said the Pre-Trial Chamber I has until April 30 to rule on Duterte's charges. If the charges are confirmed, he said the preparation stage for trial may last from six months to one and a half years.

"Kung six months from April 30, that's October. Kung 1.5 years from… April 30, eh 'yan po ay October of next year," he said.

(If it's six months from April 30, that's October. But if it's 1.5 years from April 30, that is October of next year.)

"'Yun lang po, talagang mina-manage din po namin 'yung expectations ng tao," he added.

(We are managing the expectations of the people.) — VDV, GMA News