Metro Manila, Philippines – Former President Rodrigo Duterte has asked the International Criminal Court Appeals Chamber to excuse him from attending the reading of the judgment on his jurisdiction challenge, saying he will instead be represented by his legal counsel.
In a filing dated April 13, Duterte’s defense team requested permission for him to waive his appearance during the promulgation of the ruling, adding that a signed waiver had been submitted and that counsel will appear on his behalf.
The request comes ahead of the Appeals Chamber’s expected decision on April 22 on Duterte’s challenge to the court’s jurisdiction over his controversial anti-drug campaign.
The appeal stems from an earlier ruling by the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber, which affirmed that the court retains jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed in the Philippines while it was still a member of the Rome Statute, despite Manila’s withdrawal in 2019.
Duterte’s legal team has argued that the ICC no longer has authority over the case, insisting that the country’s withdrawal should bar further proceedings.
Prosecutors, however, maintain that the court has jurisdiction over crimes allegedly committed between November 2011, when the Philippines became a member, and March 2019, when its withdrawal took effect.
Duterte faces allegations of crimes against humanity linked to thousands of killings during his anti-drug campaign, which rights groups said disproportionately targeted suspected drug users and low-level offenders.
