Highlights: Duterte ICC earing – Confirmation of Charges (Feb. 23)

‘THAT IS PREPOSTEROUS’The Palace on Monday accused former President Rodrigo Duterte’s lead counsel, Nicholas Kaufman, of suffering from “cognitive impairment” after he alleged that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sought to “neutralize” his predecessor.READ MORE:… pic.twitter.com/isyfCjd8ao

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

Senior Trial Lawyer Julian Nicholls said Rodrigo Duterte engaged in criminality from the onset of his career, despite his privileged background and deep understanding of the law.•⁠ ⁠Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/L8lr6ksxLw•⁠ Watch our livestream here:… pic.twitter.com/6WaBeJhfs3

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

Senior Trial Lawyer Julian Nicholls says former President Rodrigo Duterte openly boasted about the killings that led to thousands of deaths under his orders, without ever expressing remorse.•⁠ ⁠Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/L8lr6ksxLw•⁠ Watch our… pic.twitter.com/4NIHrWquQC

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

Senior Trial Lawyer Julian Nicholls said the victims of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs campaign ranged from powerful figures to the poorest citizens of the Philippines, but it was the poor and most vulnerable who were most often targeted because they lacked the… pic.twitter.com/izYO2KuhQD

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

DAY 1 ENDSThe International Criminal Court concludes the first day of its confirmation of charges hearing against former president Rodrigo Duterte. The proceedings will continue on Tuesday, Feb 24. at 5 p.m. (Manila time). | 📷: ICC•⁠ ⁠Follow our live updates here:… pic.twitter.com/zhPe7Qe8qd

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

'THROW THEM ALL OUT'Senior Trial Lawyer Julian Nichols said that even without former president Rodrigo Duterte’s speeches on his war on drugs campaign, the prosecution would still have sufficient evidence to charge him with crimes against humanity before the International… pic.twitter.com/nUuoBLJynz

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

BONG GO, BATO MENTIONED IN ICC HEARINGLOOK: Senators Bato Dela Rosa and Bong Go were named by the prosecution as “co-perpetrators” during the confirmation of charges hearing of former president Rodrigo Duterte before the International Criminal Court, in connection with his war… pic.twitter.com/n8OBKB380b

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

Senior Trial Lawyer Julian Nicholls calls former President Rodrigo Duterte’s claims of self-defense and due process “nonsense,” saying a leader who creates and funds a death squad has no interest in the law.•⁠ ⁠Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/L8lr6ksxLw•⁠… pic.twitter.com/ZCcXnZ9gb4

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

Prosecution on Duterte’s fitness for trial: “Mr. Duterte is perfectly fine. He's able to attend the proceedings today. There is nothing stopping him, except that he doesn't want to be here. He chose not to face the court, not to face the victims.” | 📷: ICC•⁠ ⁠Follow our… pic.twitter.com/madeE22FZ3

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

The prosecution alleges Duterte taught police officers how to plant evidence as a “necessary evil,” and that Duterte supposedly admitted in a 2024 House hearing that it was “part of the strategy” as mayor. | 📷: ICC•⁠ ⁠Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/L8lr6ksxLw… pic.twitter.com/f9aTdyxTCL

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

SESSION RESUMESAfter a 90-minute break, the International Criminal Court has resumed its session on the confirmation of charges against former president Rodrigo Duterte and is now proceeding with the prosecution’s submissions on the merits. | 📷: ICC•⁠ ⁠Follow our live… pic.twitter.com/vZyrhwKbkw

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

‘LIFELONG PASSION FOR LAW AND ORDER’Atty. Nicholas Kaufman highlights how former President Rodrigo Duterte transformed Davao City into one of the “safest” and how this commitment for upholding law and order earned him the admiration and vote of the Filipino people as the City’s… pic.twitter.com/6iFqiJVU8q

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

DAY ONE OF DUTERTE’S CONFIRMATION OF CHARGES HEARINGLOOK: The International Criminal Court opened on Monday, Feb. 23, the confirmation of charges hearing on the crimes against humanity case filed against former President Rodrigo Duterte, starting with a reading of the charges… pic.twitter.com/vZBl4D9bKC

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

‘GIVE BACK TO THE FILIPINO PEOPLE THEIR TATAY DIGONG’Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s lead counsel, Nicholas Kaufman, says they aim to convince the International Criminal Court to dismiss the charges against Duterte and secure his release.•⁠ ⁠Follow our live updates… pic.twitter.com/1soj6gV8Jb

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

Defense: Rodrigo Duterte need not convince the world of anything, and that is to his fortunate advantage, given his current medical condition. He stands behind his legacy resolutely, and he maintains his innocence absolutely. | 📷: ICC•⁠ ⁠Follow our live updates here:… pic.twitter.com/LIQUtD0uBB

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

Defense: The notorious speeches on which the prosecution relies have been cherry-picked to suit its narrative, while ignoring the many other speeches when the former president tempered his bombastic language by clear reference to the principle of lawful self defense.Defense:… pic.twitter.com/KZPxMxNaYG

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

Defense: So once more for the record, Rodrigo Duterte's language was aimed not at suspected drug pushers, but directly at those poisoning society with their substances, and not I stress, with lethal intent. His rhetoric was calculated to arouse fear and obedience, to instill fear… pic.twitter.com/CKtfq5gFcg

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

Defense says Duterte had a “lifelong passion” for law and order and transformed Davao into one of the world’s safest cities, rejecting claims that the “Davao model” was criminal violence.“Rodrigo Duterte was elected into power not in spite of, but specifically because of, his… pic.twitter.com/eZxg7Tn1gH

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

Defense counsel: The Philippines, as a country, is uniquely positioned to act as a transit hub for the trafficking of narcotics emanating from cartels in China. With or without Duterte, so we argue, that the death rate would have continued to rise. Indeed, as we will prove with… pic.twitter.com/G6jp7UIxAa

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

Defense counsel slams President Ferdinand Marcos for going back on his promise of not cooperating with the ICC:Rodrigo Duterte was, and will always remain, a unique phenomenon. His style of statesmanship was novel and unpalatable to many. His expletives and hyperbole grated,… pic.twitter.com/kA0YQZsdIT

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

Defense counsel claims they obtained a transcript of a covertly recorded call among four parties, suggesting a person acted as a “silent partner” for President Marcos Jr., allegedly funneling witnesses to the ICC while maintaining plausible deniability.“So it is indeed the…

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

Victims’ counsel: If the chamber confirms the charges, the trial proceedings will produce a historical record of the most bloody period of post war Philippine history. The historical account on the mass murder of so many Filipinos during the Duterte regime needs to be accessible…

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

Victims’ counsel: By masterminding the mass murder of mere suspects, Mr. Duterte has brought irreparable and endless harm to the families. An overwhelming majority of those killed were the sole breadwinners of poor families. These families were dependent on each day's wage for… pic.twitter.com/4mFarZtR7S

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

‘HE WILL RESUME PREACHING HIS GOSPEL OF IMPUNITY’Atty. Joel Butuyan warns that if charges against former President Rodrigo Duterte are not confirmed, it could raise concerns among victims of his drug war campaign.•⁠ ⁠Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/L8lr6ksxLw… pic.twitter.com/zHflT3d5Uy

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

‘THESE WERE NOT RANDOM CRIMES’Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang says in his opening statement that the 78 murders and attempted murders against former President Rodrigo Duterte show a systematic attack on the Filipino civilian population, and are not isolated crimes.•⁠… pic.twitter.com/3XCCsVnYGN

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

Atty. Joel Butuyan underscores that families of drug war victims continue to live in fear long after their loved ones were killed, during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s confirmation of charges hearing.•⁠ ⁠Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/L8lr6ksxLw•⁠… pic.twitter.com/vOZvaHbYay

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

‘MALAKING KADUWAGAN’Sheerah Escudero, sister of one of the drug war victims, expresses her disappointment over former President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to waive his right to appear in his confirmation of charges hearing before the Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International… pic.twitter.com/REu3o8h1YB

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

Victims’ counsel: If the charges are not confirmed, one of the gravest concerns of the victims is that Mr. Duterte will return to the Philippines as a conquering hero. He will resume preaching his gospel of impunity… It is a very serious concern of the victims that Mr. Duterte… pic.twitter.com/QzZWRSw7bO

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

CONFIRMATION OF CHARGESLOOK: Families and relatives of the victims of extrajudicial killings watch livestream at the Catholic Trade Building in Tayuman, Manila on February 23, 2026, for the confirmation of charges hearing of former President Rodrigo Duterte at the International… pic.twitter.com/unzUS4PvwV

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

Victims’ counsel: At the outset, Your Honors, we communicate the very deep disappointment of the victims at the decision allowing Rodrigo Duterte not to be present in this stage of confirmation of charges, the sight of Mr. Duterte being read and being confronted with the grave… pic.twitter.com/slzBkZzm4l

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

Prosecution: Your Honor, while this court cannot reunite victim with their loved one, it can help reveal the truth about what happened to them and bring a sense of justice to the victim. The charge before you today are serious, and the evidence submitted require their… pic.twitter.com/Q9wta2CSom

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

‘THOSE IN POWER ARE NOT ABOVE THE LAW’Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang delivers his opening statement during the first session of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s confirmation of charges hearing on Monday, Feb. 23.•⁠ ⁠Follow our live updates here:… pic.twitter.com/XTQFqVVwdJ

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

Prosecution: The 78 murders and attempted murders that Mr. Duterte is charged with in this case, were not random. These were not random crimes, nor was they spontaneous or happened in isolation. Rather, the evidence demonstrates that they were part of a widespread and systematic… pic.twitter.com/BNQS5Njosg

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

Prosecution claimed Duterte provided financial support, weapons, ammunitions and logistical support to the direct perpetrators.“Some DDS members were provided with a regular salary. Financial rewards were also given to direct perpetrators in the form of cash per head of… pic.twitter.com/lsugroNFQY

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

Prosecution: Mr. Duterte authorized murder and personally selected some of the targets during the mayoral period, his clearance was required for the DDS to carry out the killings. Essentially, members of the DDS needed Mr. Duterte's green light to murder. And during the… pic.twitter.com/uNY5KVmO9v

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

Prosecution: One of the first thing Mr. Duterte did when he became the mayor of Davao, back in 1988 was to create the infamous Davao Death Squad, otherwise known as DDS… Mr. Duterte personally instructed their squad members that their mission was to kill criminals, unsuspected… pic.twitter.com/GMFht0rccu

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

‘HUWAG MAWALAN NG PAG-ASA’READ: Senator Bong Go calls for unity and prayers as the International Criminal Court (ICC) officially begins the confirmation of charges hearing of former president Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, Feb. 23.Go also urges the public to remain calm and trust… pic.twitter.com/cUtLchVlea

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

Prosecution: Duterte is charged with 49 incidents of murder and attempted murder of 78 victims, including children. These murder and attempted murders were part of a widespread and systematic attack that overall resulted in the killings of thousands of civilians across the… pic.twitter.com/Z0XbaPAFC3

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

INTRODUCTION OF PROSECUTION AND DEFENSEThe International Criminal Court’s prosecution team led by Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang, Duterte’s defense team led by Atty. Nicholas Kaufman, and counsel for the victims introduced themselves.Kaufman noted that Filipino lawyers… pic.twitter.com/L6VFphNiKX

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

LOOK: Duterte supporters gather in front of the Supreme Court building to file a petition to “bring home” former President Rodrigo Duterte from The Hague, Netherlands.Duterte is currently facing a “crimes against humanity” case at the International Criminal Court in relation to… pic.twitter.com/OpfnqciKbD

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

‘PEOPLE POWER VS. DUTERTE’S EJKS’LOOK: Akbayan Partylist, along with Simbahan at Komunidad Laban sa Katiwalian (SIKLAB) and families of drug war victims, held a rally calling for the conviction of former president Rodrigo Duterte before the International Criminal Court (ICC) at… pic.twitter.com/3Q8rhDrw25

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

‘MARAMING KASALANAN SI DUTERTE, MAY INUTANG NA DUGO SA SAMBAYANANG PILIPINO’ WATCH: As day one of the confirmation of charges hearing against former President Rodrigo Duterte at the International Criminal Court is set to unfold on Monday, labor groups gather in front of the… pic.twitter.com/8GO3g8e3RE

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

READING OF CHARGESThe International Criminal Court reads the charges against former President Rodrigo Duterte.Duterte faces three counts of crimes against humanity, covering alleged killings linked to the anti-drug campaign during his time as Davao City mayor and as… pic.twitter.com/MGjVSExhqS

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026

ICC IS NOW IN SESSIONThe confirmation of charges hearing against former president Rodrigo Duterte in the International Criminal Court begins. 📷: ICC•⁠ ⁠Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/L8lr6kt5B4•⁠ ⁠Watch our special coverage here: https://t.co/2FyXbcGA5Y pic.twitter.com/72lTNGEjje

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2026