The former Philippine president’s defense team has received the first batch of evidence in the crimes against humanity case filed against him before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
According to a three-page document posted on the ICC’s website, the prosecution has turned over 181 items to the defense, grouped under “pre-confirmation INCRIM package 001.” These materials were referenced in the arrest warrant issued against Duterte, except for those identified in a separate prosecution request under regulation 35 of the ICC’s Regulations of the Court.
The annex accompanying the filing remains classified as “confidential,” as it contains evidence disclosed between the parties.
Duterte was arrested in Manila on March 11, following the ICC’s issuance of a warrant for the crime against humanity of murder. The court stated that prosecution evidence provided “reasonable grounds to believe that Mr. Duterte is individually responsible as an indirect co-perpetrator for the crime against humanity of murder, allegedly committed in the Philippines between 1 November 2011 and 16 March 2019.”
Originally issued under seal on March 7, 2025, the arrest warrant was made public four days later.
With Duterte now in ICC custody and the first wave of evidence in the hands of his defense, the stage is set for what could be the most explosive trial in Philippine history. The question remains—will justice finally catch up with the man once dubbed ‘The Punisher’?
