The International Criminal Court’s Office of the Prosecutor has asked the Pre-Trial Chamber I to push back key deadlines in the case against former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte, who faces charges of crimes against humanity.
In a formal submission dated May 14, the Prosecution requested that the deadline for disclosing arrest warrant materials be extended to July 1, 2025. It also asked to delay the disclosure of witness identities until June 20, 2025, citing ongoing protective measures as the reason.
“The Prosecution is proceeding on the basis that adequate protective measures can soon be put in place,” the document stated, underscoring the intent to disclose witness identities “at the earliest opportunity, and no later than 1 July 2025.”
The filing emphasized that these extensions are in line with the rules of the court, which allow the Chamber to modify time limits when justified. The Prosecution also argued that postponing these disclosures would help streamline proceedings by allowing related applications to be addressed at once.
According to the ICC, the Prosecution currently holds substantial evidence against Duterte, including 421 documents, nine photographs, and nearly 16 hours of audio and video recordings. These materials are expected to be presented when Duterte returns to face the court.
Duterte is accused of being “individually responsible as an indirect co-perpetrator” for the crime against humanity of murder, allegedly carried out in the Philippines between November 2011 and March 2019. The arrest warrant was originally issued under seal on March 7, 2025, and made public four days later.
He was surrendered by the Philippine government on March 12 and made his initial court appearance via video link on March 14. The confirmation of charges hearing is tentatively scheduled for September 23, 2025.
