Prosecution submits preliminary evidence against Duterte to the ICC

April 17, 2025

International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan recently publicized the evidence gathered for the hearing to confirm the cases against Rodrigo Duterte scheduled for September this year. According to Khan, the prosecution already has at least 421 documents, nine photographs, and almost 16 hours of audio and video recordings, all of which will be presented to the court. He said that these will still increase as the confirmation hearing approaches.

It is in this hearing that the ICC decide will decide whether to proceed with Duterte’s trial on charges of murder as a crime against humanity. The number and nature of the evidence disclosed, which was published on the ICC website, will establish the “ongoing widespread killings” first filed at the ICC in 2017.

Khan mentioned that the prosecution is still gathering evidence. “We are in the process of determining the total number of written and unwritten documentary evidence that we intend to use in the confirmation hearing,” he said. Most of the evidence already presented come from the application for an arrest warrant filed against Duterte on March 12, which became the legal basis for placing him under ICC custody and his current detention in The Netherlands. Khan’s submissions included 8,565 pages of written evidence.

The lawyers of the victims believe that it is important for the ICC to thoroughly examine this evidence to ensure accountability for the victims of the war on drugs. The prosecution’s evidence includes not only documents but also audio and video recordings that may provide important insights into Duterte’s anti-drug campaign operations. These materials may be crucial in showing that the violence under his leadership was systematic.

As the confirmation hearing approaches, the victims and their families feel the emotional burden in their pursuit of justice.

“We are relying on the processes at the ICC. This is a significant development for us who have been seeking justice for almost a decade,