[REVISION HISTORY]

ICC investigation of Rodrigo Duterte

Updated 2 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-06 01:05 UTC → 2026-09-09 00:13 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The International Criminal Court (ICC) proceedings against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte regarding his administration’s anti-narcotics campaign have entered a critical phase. In the first seven months of 2026, prosecutors disclosed 6,909 evidence items to the defense. This disclosure included 2,279 items described as “incriminating,” which allegedly link Duterte to a “common plan” involving murders in barangay-level operations and the activities of the Davao Death Squad. Additionally, 57 items were identified as “potentially exonerating.” Following this disclosure, Duterte’s legal team filed a motion requesting that the ICC refile the charges. Lead counsel Peter Haynes argued that the current document containing the charges is “not fit for purpose,” claiming it violates Duterte’s right to be informed of the specific nature of the allegations. The defense contends that the prosecution’s method of grouping charges under “illustrative non-exhaustive incidents” rather than providing clear, separate counts makes it impossible to understand the case. As the trial approaches on November 30, the defense has requested stricter safeguards for digital evidence. Counsel noted that the volume of evidence has expanded from approximately 5,000 items during the confirmation stage to over 25,000, much of which consists of open-source and user-generated content. The defense proposed amending the court’s E-Court Protocol to include an “Expert Verification” field, arguing that current systems are insufficient to establish authenticity. Furthermore, lawyers warned that the Office of the Prosecutor’s “OTPLink” microsite could be vulnerable to tampering or used by “nefarious actors” to transmit falsified or forged evidence. In early September 2026, prosecutors requested that Trial Chamber III admit the previously recorded testimony of a key witness, identified as P-1100. Describing the testimony as “relevant, reliable, and probative,” the prosecution stated the evidence concerns an alleged policy to “neutralise” suspected criminals through violent crimes.

Versions

Only revisions since CLSTR began indexing content versions appear here. Select a version to see what changed compared to the one before it.