Duterte to skip final ICC hearing before trial on drug-war charges
Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte will skip the next hearing in his crimes against humanity case at the International Criminal Court (ICC), after waiving his right to attend. The fifth status conference was due on Monday, 2 November, and his lawyers will handle it without him.
Duterte, 81, has been detained in The Hague since March 2025. He faces three counts of crimes against humanity over alleged extrajudicial killings during his anti-drug campaign and by the so-called Davao death squad when he was mayor or vice mayor of Davao City. The charges are allegations; he has not been convicted.
His lead counsel, Peter Haynes, told Trial Chamber III on 28 October that Duterte wanted to skip the hearing. The chamber agreed the next day and ordered the signed waiver put on the record. It was filed on 30 October, with Duterte instructing his lawyers to handle the procedural matters on the agenda and any other issues raised.
Unlike the last two hearings, which he attended in person on 16 September and 13 October, he will stay away this time. The chamber has declared him fit to stand trial, after independent medical experts assessed him.
Why it matters
The hearing is expected to be the last status conference before the trial opens on 30 November, so it is the final chance to settle procedural questions first. The agenda covers the sitting schedule, testimony by audio-visual link, the witness list, and the hours for the prosecution’s evidence and for potentially exculpatory evidence. It also covers prior recorded testimony, protective measures and defence security.
Duterte staying away does not pause the case or change his detention. The judges will simply hear the arguments from his lawyers instead. The case is closely watched in the Philippines and beyond because it concerns a former head of state facing charges over a state campaign prosecutors say left thousands dead.
What happens next
The conference was due to go ahead on Monday, 2 November, with Duterte’s lawyers present and the former president absent. Its decisions will shape how the trial is run.
The trial is set to start on 30 November, more than a year and a half after Duterte was taken into ICC custody. Further filings are expected before then, and the court is expected to confirm the final arrangements for the trial’s opening.
This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.
Sources
- https://malaya.com.ph/news/national-news/duterte-waives-right-to-attend-icc-status-conference-on-nov-2/ (Malaya Business Insight, 31 October 2026)
- https://balita.org/n/duterte-to-skip-last-hearing-before-trial/110355 (Balita, republishing Philippine Star, 31 October 2026)
- https://mediabytesph.com/national/duterte-waives-attendance-for-fifth-icc-status-conference-ahead-of-trial/ (MediaBytes PH, 31 October 2026)
