Former President Rodrigo Duterte appears before ICC Pre-trial Chamber 1

MANILA, Philippines – The prosecution has submitted the first set of evidence to the defense camp of former President Rodrigo Duterte pursuant to the order of the International Criminal Court Pre-trial Chamber 1 to both the prosecution and defense teams to submit evidence by April 4. 

In a 3-page order, the prosecution sent communication to the defense that it has 181 items, organised under Pre-Confirmation INCRIM package 001. 

Accordingly, the items comprise the material cited in the arrest warrant served to the former president “with the exception of those items notified to the Chamber and the Defense in the Prosecution’s related application under regulation 35 of the Regulations of the Court.”

However, the Annex to this filing, it said, is classified as “Confidential”, as it refers to confidential evidence disclosed inter partes. 

British-Israeli lawyer and international law expert Nicholas Kaufman who stands as the former president’s lead defense said the former state chief will be given the “strongest defense” and is confident on an acquittal. He also believes the tough-talking former state chief is “illegally detained” at the ICC. 

Meanwhile, ICC-accredited lawyer Joel Butuyan said the former president is the biggest witness against himself as he, in countless pronouncements, repeatedly declared hardline policy on killing criminals. 

Kaufman said five lawyers compose the defense team of the former president with one Filipino in. 

Duterte is now detained at the ICC Detention Centre at The Hague, Netherlands for charges of alleged crimes against humanity due to killings linked to his administration’s war on drugs. 

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