International Criminal Court sets deadline for Duterte’s appeal

MANILA, Philippines, February 3 ------ The Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has ordered that the appeal in the case against former president Rodrigo Duterte will proceed solely through written submissions, bypassing oral hearings.

In an order dated January 29, 2026, but only made public on Monday, the five-judge panel set a tight schedule for the filing of legal briefs. Duterte’s defense team must submit an appeal brief, not exceeding 20 pages, by Thursday, February 5, 2026. The Office of the Prosecutor and the Legal Representatives of Victims may then file their responses, also capped at 20 pages, by Thursday, February 12, 2026. The case stemmed from the ICC’s investigation into alleged crimes against humanity in the Philippines related to the “war on drugs” implemented during Duterte’s presidency.

The pre-trial chamber earlier set the confirmation of charges on February 23. This process will include the formal reading of charges, followed by the opening statements from the prosecution, the common legal representatives for victims, and the defense.

Source: manilatimes.net