Confirmation of Charges of ICC Case vs. Former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte on its Last Hearing
RODRIGO DUTERTE – Here’s what will happen if the charges filed against the former President before the International Criminal Court (ICC) will not be confirmed.
The confirmation of charges of former Pres. Duterte was initially set by the ICC on September 23, 2025. However, it was postponed following the claim of Duterte’s lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman, that the former President is allegedly unfit to stand trial.
Duterte is allegedly suffering from a cognitive decline as per the British-Israeli Lawyer. According to him, the former President allegedly cannot remember places, events, and even close members of his family.
Former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte is faced with three (3) counts of murder as alleged crimes against humanity filed by the ICC prosecutors. After the ICC ruled that Duterte is fit to stand trial following the assessment of three (3) medical experts tapped by the foreign court to check on the former President, the ICC set a new schedule for the confirmation of charges.
The new schedule for the confirmation of charges of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte is stretched from February 23 to February 27. Currently, countless Filipinos are curious as to what will happen next in case the ICC charge are confirmed or if they are not confirmed.
Based on a report on PhilStar, the confirmation of charges is not a trial. It will not yield the decision on whether or not the former President is guilty on the accusations against him. There are three (3) possible outcomes after it:
ICC Charges vs. Duterte ARE CONFIRMED
If the charges against the former President are confirmed sufficient to proceed to trial, a new set of judges will be determined. The dates and procedure of the legal process will be upon the order of the judges.
Once the matter gets into trial, it is the duty of the prosecution to prove that former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte is guilty “beyond reasonable doubt”. In case convicted, the former President can be sentenced to prison to up to 30 years.
In case the foreign court found that the evidences against the former President are insufficient, the case may be dismissed and he will be released.
ICC Charges vs. Duterte ARE NOT CONFIRMED
Based on the report, if the ICC charges against former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte will not be confirmed as the evidence of the prosecution is deemed insufficient, the proceedings will cease but it does not mean that it is over. The prosecution team can still appeal for a new confirmation of charges.
Further Evidence Required
There is also a possibility that the pre-trial judges of the International Criminal Court will require more evidence over the case. Based on the report, regardless of the outcome, it does not mean that the ICC proceedings will automatically end.
Recently, British-Israeli lawyer Nicholas Kaufman spoke on the status of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte amid the ongoing ICC confirmation of charges.