The International Criminal Court (ICC) Trial Chamber III on Wednesday set the opening of the trial of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s crime against humanity case over his war on illegal drugs during his time as President and Davao City mayor on November 30, 2026.

“The start of trial, we are prepared to accede to the prosecution’s application of the 30th of November as the start of trial,” Presiding Judge Joanna Korner said during the case’s first status conference.

According to Korner, the trial will run daily until a judicial recess.

“We have to wait for the report on the accused fitness and they will specifically be asked to – if they find him fit to stand trial,” she said.

Earlier, Korner said they will order the re-examination of Duterte’s health upon the request of his defense team.

“What we decided to do is that, in light of the short discussion, it would be preferable if the parties could liaise together and prepare a proposed joint letter of instruction,” she said.

During the conference, Korner said the ICC prosecution wants to begin Duterte’s trial on November 30 while Duterte’s defense team did not want to propose a date until matters regarding his fitness were resolved.

She said the legal representative of the victims wants to begin the trial by the beginning of September while the ICC Registry seeks to begin it in January 2027 due to concerns regarding interpretation.

INTERPRETATION

Meanwhile, Korner said the Trial Chamber also urged the ICC Registry to make the necessary arrangements so that the opening statements of the parties during the commencement of the trial may be interpreted.

“Even if there isn’t a sufficient pool of interpreters of the witnesses, I think it’s important that opening statements can be understood by those in the Philippines,” she said.

Earlier, the ICC prosecution urged the swift hiring of interpreters for the trial so that it may be broadcast in Tagalog.

DEADLINES

The Trial Chamber III, meanwhile, gave the Prosecution until June 29 to submit its provisional list of witnesses and evidence.

The prosecution will have until August 31 to submit its final list of witnesses and list of evidence for the trial.

“The same deadline, that is the 31st of August, applies if you wish to add new incidents, plus the list of experts,” Korner said.

Previously, the prosecution asked to be given until August to submit additional incidents.

ICC Prosecutor and Senior Trial Lawyer Julian Nicholls said he “imagines [they] will” be adding more incidents.

“But I think it will be a few. Some of them are related to existing witnesses… Some is material that is coming soon but that fits perfectly within the theory and is really part of the same case,” he said.

Nicholls said the new incidents will “not be a huge, unmanageable number."

Meanwhile, Korner discouraged the submission of new evidence after the deadline.

“Any evidence disclosed or to be added to the list of evidence after that date is strongly discouraged and will be subject to the chamber’s authorization, good cause to be shown, with a full explanation for the reason for the delay,” she said.

Korner earlier requested the ICC Prosecution to call or present their witnesses for the same incident in a consecutive manner.

The judge also flagged the 197 speeches that is part of the Prosecution’s documentary evidence.

She said it may be “too much” and questioned the ICC prosecution on whether all 197 speeches were needed. Nicholls said the speeches will be narrowed down.

On the other hand, Korner gave Duterte’s defense team until October 30 to submit its indication of issues.

The judge also said the cutoff date for applications for the victims to participate in the proceedings is the end of the prosecution’s presentation of evidence.

During the status conference, the parties addressed the trial’s commencement date, upcoming deadlines, anticipated evidence, agreed facts, the languages the parties would use, and disclosure obligations, among other matters.

The 81-year-old former President was not present during the proceedings as he waived his right to attend the status conference.

Korner said the Trial Chamber III will hold two more status conferences on June 23, Tuesday and July 14, Tuesday.

(With reports from Joahna Lei Casilao, GMA News)