Duterte case: Confirmation of Charges hearing to open on 23 February 2026 – Practical Information

The confirmation hearing in the case The Prosecutor v. Rodrigo Roa Duterte is scheduled to open on 23 February 2026 at 10:00 (The Hague local time) before Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Pre-Trial Chamber I is composed of Presiding Judge Iulia Antoanella Motoc and Judges Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou and María del Socorro Flores Liera.

The hearing is scheduled on 23, 24, 26 and 27 February 2026 in Courtroom I. The Prosecution, the Defence and the Legal Representatives of Victims will make oral submissions before the judges to present their arguments on the merits.

The Chamber adopted recommendations from the Detention Centre's Medical Officer and the panel of experts that carried out Mr Duterte's medical examination regarding special measures and adjustments needed to facilitate Mr Duterte's participation in the pre-trial proceedings. The Registry of the Court is ordered to ensure that all relevant recommended measures and adjustments are put in place throughout the hearings. The judges also limited the number of days of hearings to no more than four per week, with one day with no hearings in the middle of the week; provided breaks during the hearings every one hour; and limited the total duration of hearings per day to no more than three hours. These measures are reflected in the schedule of the hearing.

The purpose of the confirmation of charges hearing is to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that the person committed each of the crimes charged. If one or more of the charges are confirmed, the case will be transferred to a Trial Chamber, which will conduct the subsequent phase of the proceedings: the trial.

Background: Mr Duterte is suspected of the crimes against humanity of murder and attempted murder, allegedly committed on the territory of the Republic of the Philippines between 1 November 2011 and 16 March 2019 in the context of the 'war on drugs' campaign. Following a request of the ICC Office of the Prosecutor, the warrant of arrest against Mr Duterte was issued by the Chamber as "Secret" on 7 March 2025 and reclassified as "Public" on 11 March 2025. On 12 March 2025, Mr Duterte was surrendered to the ICC after being arrested by the authorities of the Republic of the Philippines in accordance with the warrant of arrest.

The initial appearance of Mr Duterte took place on 14 March 2025. On 8 September 2025, Pre-Trial Chamber I postponed the confirmation hearing, initially scheduled to start on 23 September 2025, to adjudicate the Defence's Adjournment Request concerning Mr Duterte's fitness to participate in the proceedings. On 26 January 2026, Pre-Trial Chamber I found Mr Rodrigo Roa Duterte fit to take part in the pre-trial proceedings and scheduled the commencement of the confirmation of charges hearing for 23 February 2026.

Related documents:

• Order setting the schedule and directions for the confirmation of charges hearing
• Decision on the 'Defence Request for an Indefinite Adjournment'
• Case page: English, French

Webstreaming of the hearing:
The hearing can be followed with a 30-minute delay on the ICC website (Courtroom I), as well as on the ICC Facebook accounts and on the ICC YouTube Channel.

Attending the hearing:

• Members of the diplomatic corps and civil society can request attendance via email to: [email protected] before 16 February 2026. Attendees must present a valid passport or valid ID with a photo at the main entrance of the Court (at: Oude Waalsdorperweg 10, 2597 AK The Hague).
• Journalists wishing to cover the hearing can request accreditation via email to: [email protected] before 16 February 2026. All journalists must present a valid press card, and a valid passport or valid ID with a photo, at the main entrance of the Court (at: Oude Waalsdorperweg 10, 2597 AK The Hague).
• For other members of the public, the principle 'first come, first served' will be applied. The number of visitors in the public gallery is limited. Those attending are advised to arrive at least one hour in advance before the hearing starts.

Note that filming or photography is strictly prohibited inside the Court building, except in the media area. In preparation of your visit please consult our Rules of decorum and practical information page.

AV Materials:

Images of the hearing will be available for download on an FTP server in video (MPEG-4) and audio (MPEG-3) format, and for viewing on the official ICC YouTube Channel.

Photographs of the hearing will be available on the ICC Flickr account.

For information on audio-visual matters, please contact [email protected]

For more information, please contact the ICC Public Affairs Unit: [email protected]. You can also follow the Court's activities on Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Flickr