MANILA – Malacañang said Philippine government will not intervene in the pre-trial proceedings of the International Criminal Court (ICC) involving former President Rodrigo Duterte.

This follows the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber 1’s announcement on Monday that Duterte is fit to stand trial, with pre-trial hearings scheduled to begin on February 23.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the matter falls entirely under the ICC’s jurisdiction.

“Ang nagpasiya po niyan ay ang pre-trial chamber 1 ng ICC,” she said. (“The decision was made by the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber 1.”)

Castro emphasized that the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. respects the processes of international bodies and has no intention of intervening.

“So, kung ganyan po ang kanilang proseso, hindi po makiki-alam ang Pangulo at hindi po makiki-alam ang pamahalaan ng Pilipinas,” she said. (“If that’s their process, the President will not interfere, and neither will the Philippine government.”)

Duterte’s legal team had requested an indefinite adjournment, claiming he was unfit to participate. However, a medical assessment by three independent experts determined otherwise.

The confirmation hearing, originally scheduled for September 2025, will decide whether there is enough evidence to believe Duterte, who will turn 81 in March, committed crimes against humanity, including murder and attempted murder, allegedly during the Philippines’ war on drugs from November 2011 to March 2019.

Duterte was arrested on March 11, 2025, and is currently in ICC custody in The Hague.