ICC trial chamber to convene status conference on Duterte case on May 27, 2026

The Trial Chamber III of the International Criminal Court (ICC) will hold a status conference on May 27, 2026 on the crimes against humanity charges against former President Rodrigo Duterte in connection with his war on illegal drugs.

In a five-page order dated April 30, the chamber directed the prosecution, defense, and the victims’ public counsel and legal representatives, the Registry, and other units to file submissions on several issues by May 15.

The submissions are on the following items:

• Commencement date of the trial
• Anticipated evidence, which the chamber addressed primarily to the prosecution
• Agreed facts under Rule 69 of the Rules
• Languages to be used by the parties, participants, and the witnesses whom the parties intend to call
• Disclosure of outstanding material in the prosecution’s possession and related issues
• Disclosure by the defense, including whether they intend to advance a defense in accordance with Rules 79 and 80 of the Rules
• Provision of trial briefs
• Motions requiring resolution prior to the commencement of trial
• Estimated length of opening statements
• Update and forecast on additional applications by victims to participate in the proceedings

“Should the parties and participants know of any matters which may delay the start of the trial or which should be resolved before the status conference, they should promptly bring these to the Chamber’s attention,” the chamber added in its order.

The Trial Chamber III said the status conference will be streamed on the ICC website with a 30‑minute delay.

It may be recalled that on April 23, the ICC confirmed the charges of crimes against humanity against the 81-year-old Duterte.

The confirmed charges are the following:

• Count 1: Murder as a crime against humanity in Davao City during the mayoral period of at least the 19 victims, between 2013 and around June 2016, through indirect co-perpetration, ordering and/or inducing, and/or aiding and abetting;
• Count 2: Murder as a crime against humanity of ‘high-value targets’ in locations across the Philippines during the presidential period of at least the 14 victims between around July 2016 and July 2017, through indirect co-perpetration, and/or ordering and/or inducing and/or 25(3)(c) (aiding and abetting); and 
• Count 3: Murder and attempted murder as crimes against humanity in barangay clearance operations in locations across the Philippines during the presidential period of at least the 45 victims (43 murders and two attempted murders) between around July 2016 and September 2018, through indirect co-perpetration, ordering and/or inducing, and/or aiding and abetting.

On April 29, Judge Joanna Korner was elected as the presiding judge of the ICC Trial Chamber III that will hear Duterte’s crimes against humanity case.

This came less than a week after the ICC Presidency constituted the three-member Trial Chamber III on Duterte’s case.

READ: Who are the ICC judges assigned to Rodrigo Duterte's trial?

The former President was arrested in Manila on March 11, 2025 and was quickly flown to The Hague to face the ICC.

Since then, he has been detained at the ICC Detention facility in Scheveningen. — JMA, GMA News