BY AFP

The International Criminal Court Pre-Trial Chamber I on Monday afternoon (Manila time) officially opened the confirmation of charges or pre-trial hearings on former President Rodrigo Duterte’s crimes against humanity case allegedly committed during his brutal war on drugs campaign.

The chamber has scheduled the confirmation of charges hearing for Duterte to take place on February 23, 24, 26, and 27 at The Hague, the Netherlands.

The launch of the pre-trial hearings — which will determine whether or not there is enough evidence that the former Philippine president committed the alleged crimes — comes nearly a year after Duterte, 80, was arrested and transferred to The Hague, where the ICC sits.

Duterte’s confirmation of charges hearing was supposed to be held on September 23, 2025, or five months ago, and was postponed due to a request from his defense team.

The 80-year-old Duterte was not present at the hearing in The Hague after the court granted a request from his defense to waive his right to appear, despite judges ruling that he was fit to take part.

Following the hearing, the judges will have 60 days to issue a written decision.

ICC prosecutors have charged Duterte with three counts of crimes against humanity, alleging his involvement in at least 76 murders between 2013 and 2018.

The first of three counts against Duterte concerns his alleged involvement as a co-perpetrator in 19 murders carried out between 2013 and 2016 while he was mayor of Davao City.

The second relates to 14 murders of so-called “High Value Targets” in 2016 and 2017 when he was president.

The third charge covers 43 murders committed during “clearance” operations of lower-level alleged drug users or pushers across the Philippines between 2016 and 2018.

Duterte denies the charges, his lawyer Nicholas Kaufman told journalists ahead of the hearing.

Rival groups of demonstrators camped outside the court. Patricia Enriquez said it was “an historic moment” for victims of Duterte’s alleged crimes.

“It is emotional. It is hopeful. It is also very painful,” the 36-year-old researcher told AFP.

“I’m hoping that all the Filipinos and everybody in the world will stand with us, stand with truth, stand with justice and stand with accountability,” she said.

Aldo Villarta, a 35-year-old chef, said it was a “slap in the face” for the Philippines that an international court was trying the country’s former leader.

“We’ve already suffered so long from colonization,” said Villarta, who also argued that Duterte’s human rights were being infringed by imprisonment.