ICC lawyer says more charges may be filed against Duterte before Sept hearing

A lawyer accredited by the International Criminal Court (ICC), Joel Butuyan, stated on Monday that additional charges may be filed before the Sept. 23 confirmation of charges hearing against former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Currently, Duterte faces charges related to crimes against humanity due to his drug war from November 1, 2011, to March 16, 2019, during his tenure as Davao City mayor and president.

ICC spokesman Fadi Abdullah noted that prosecutors initially sought three charges against Duterte: murder, torture, and rape as crimes against humanity. However, a three-judge ICC chamber only issued a warrant for the murder charge.

Butuyan emphasized that the ICC case focuses on who planned and implemented the policy of resolving the drug problem through killings rather than counting individual deaths; even a single death can suffice if it proves the existence of such a policy.

The completion of Duterte's legal defense team could expedite preliminary issues resolution, including jurisdiction following the Philippines' withdrawal from the ICC during Duterte's presidency.

Victims' lawyer Gilbert Andres hopes that the prosecutor will add charges regarding arbitrary detention alongside the 43 murders already included in the document containing charges.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested on March 11 and is currently awaiting his next scheduled court appearance on September 23, where he will contest the allegations.