The International Criminal Court has set the confirmation of charges hearing against former president Rodrigo Duterte for February 23, after denying his appeal on fitness to participate. The hearing will take place in The Hague, Netherlands, following his arrest one year ago in Manila. The process includes lawyers representing drug war victims.
In The Hague, Netherlands, the confirmation of charges hearing against former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte at the International Criminal Court (ICC) is set to begin on February 23, 2026, after a five-month delay. The hearing concerns crimes against humanity related to his bloody war on drugs, officially titled “The Prosecutor v. Rodrigo Roa Duterte”.
One year ago, Duterte was arrested upon landing in Manila and is now detained in The Hague. The hearing will span four days: February 23, 24, 26, and 27, starting at 5 p.m. Manila time (10 a.m. The Hague time) each day.
On February 13, 2026, ICC pre-trial judges denied Duterte’s request to appeal the January 26 decision declaring him fit to participate in pre-trial proceedings. The 11-page decision stated that issues raised by his counsel, Nicholas Kaufman, are not appealable and misrepresented the decision. “It is clear that the Chamber’s reason not to rely on the defense’s medical reports was to ensure that only information emanating from impartial and neutral sources was taken into consideration in order to ultimately ensure the fairness of the proceedings,” the decision read.
The ICC prosecutor takes no position on Kaufman’s request to disqualify Filipino lawyers appointed by the ICC to represent victims. Lawyer Kristina Conti, one of eight Filipino lawyers accredited by the ICC, will guide through the process.
Meanwhile, senators are holding a caucus on the potential arrest of two senators named as Duterte’s “co-perpetrators.” Sen. Bam Aquino said, “Let’s wait for the ICC’s formal declaration on Feb. 23,” and claimed that justice for drug war victims is best served on home soil.
