The International Criminal Court (ICC) Pre-Trial Chamber 1 has approved a request by the Office of the Prosecutor to extend the deadline for submitting key documents in the crimes against humanity case against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.
In a five-page decision signed by Presiding Judge Iulia Motoc and Judges Reine Alapini-Gansou and Maria del Socorro Flores Liera, the Chamber directed the prosecution to finalize and disclose materials related to the arrest warrant and relevant witnesses no later than July 1, 2025.
The prosecution must also submit any applications for special redactions not falling under standard categories, such as the withholding of entire evidence items or the identities of witnesses, on or before June 16, 2025. The ICC’s Victims and Witnesses Unit (VWU) is expected to provide its observations on these applications by the same date. Any responses to these filings must be submitted by June 20, 2025.
The decision followed the prosecution’s appeal to delay the disclosure, citing safety concerns for witnesses. The prosecutors emphasized that revealing identities prematurely “would give rise to an objective risk to their safety.” The Chamber acknowledged this concern and found that “good cause is shown” to extend the deadlines, especially since neither the defense nor the Office of Public Counsel for Victims objected.
Duterte was arrested in the Philippines on March 11, 2025, by local authorities under a warrant issued by the ICC. He is currently detained at Scheveningen Prison in The Hague, facing charges of crimes against humanity for his alleged role in the extrajudicial killings that occurred during his administration’s controversial war on drugs.
The ICC has set the hearing for the confirmation of charges against Duterte for September 23, 2025. The outcome of that hearing will determine whether the case proceeds to trial.
The developments mark a significant step in the ICC’s ongoing proceedings against Duterte, who remains a polarizing figure both in the Philippines and internationally. The extended deadlines are expected to ensure that the prosecution can securely present its evidence while upholding the rights of all parties involved.
As the case progresses, international human rights groups and legal observers are closely monitoring the proceedings, viewing them as a crucial test of global accountability for leaders accused of grave crimes.