LAWYERS for former president Rodrigo Duterte plan to contest allegations that he is accountable for crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court (ICC) during the hearing on the confirmation of charges against him., This news data comes from:http://www.xs888999.com

In a filing submitted on Aug. 22, Duterte’s lead lawyer Nicholas Kaufman told Pre-Trial Chamber I that the defense will allocate 30 minutes each for opening and closing statements.

The bulk of their presentation, expected to last three to four hours, will be devoted to disputing the prosecution’s claims about Duterte’s modes of liability and the legal thresholds required to establish crimes against humanity.

“For the sake of clarity and the historical record, Mr. Duterte did not commit any criminal offense,” Kaufman wrote. “Mr. Duterte served his city and country, faithfully and with pride, for many years.”

The submission came in response to an Aug. 14 order from the Pre-Trial Chamber asking the defense to provide observations on the organization of the confirmation hearing.

The case is being heard by Presiding Judge Iulia Antoanella Motoc, Judge Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou, and Judge María del Socorro Flores Liera.

The ICC inquiry centers on Duterte’s “war on drugs,” which, according to rights groups, left thousands of suspected drug offenders dead in alleged extrajudicial killings between 2016 and 2022.

Prosecutors argue that the killings constituted crimes against humanity of murder and persecution, carried out as part of a widespread and systematic attack against civilians.

The confirmation of charges hearing, set for Sept. 23, is a critical step in ICC proceedings.

Judges will determine if there is sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds that the accused committed the crimes alleged.

Duterte’s defense team outlines ICC strategy

If confirmed, the case would proceed to trial. If not, the charges could be rejected or sent back to the prosecution for further investigation.

In its filing, the defense said it intends to directly challenge both the factual and legal foundations of the case.

By focusing on modes of liability, Duterte’s lawyers aim to undercut the prosecution’s attempt to link him personally to the alleged crimes, while also questioning whether the alleged acts meet the “contextual requirements” that elevate them to crimes against humanity under international law.

The Office of the Prosecutor, the Office of Public Counsel for Victims, and Duterte’s defense team were formally notified of the filing by the court’s registry, headed by Registrar Osvaldo Zavala Giler.

Duterte, who was arrested in Manila earlier this year and transferred to The Hague, remains in ICC custody pending the chamber’s decision.

His legal battle has drawn intense scrutiny both in the Philippines and abroad, with human rights advocates urging accountability and supporters arguing the proceedings are politically motivated.

Last week, the former president renewed his appeal for an interim release to an undisclosed country that is willing to accept him.