Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will not attend the first status conference of his case at the International Criminal Court (ICC), scheduled for May 27, 2026. This follows the formal submission by his legal team of a "Defence Notification of Mr Duterte’s Signed Waiver to Appear at the First Status Conference" to the ICC Trial Chamber III on May 25.
Legal Representation and Waiver Details
According to the document filed by lead counsel Atty. Peter Haynes, KC, Duterte has authorized his lawyers to represent him and handle all procedural matters related to the hearing. The defense stated that the former president has full confidence in his legal team to address the issues to be discussed during the status conference, including any other matters that may arise.
The submission of the waiver complies with the directive issued by the ICC Trial Chamber on May 22, which allowed the defense to submit a formal written waiver before May 25. The case is registered under case number ICC-01/21-01/25, which is part of the ICC's investigation into the situation in the Philippines.
Presiding Judges and Next Steps
The status conference will be presided over by Judge Joanna Korner, along with Judges Keebong Paek and Nicolas Guillou. As of now, no further statement has been issued by Duterte regarding his absence from the hearing. The waiver effectively allows the proceedings to move forward without his physical presence, with his legal team acting on his behalf.
