DAY 1 AT ICC: Defense decries 'demagoguery,' prosecution details kill 'system'

Former president Rodrigo Duterte's lead counsel Nicholas Kaufman told victims' lawyer Joel Butuyan that the International Criminal Court decides based on "evidence" and not "political demagoguery" - then spent most of his own speech attacking President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., praising the former president's legacy, and closing with a plea to "give back to the Filipino people their Tatay Digong.

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The exchange was the most combative moment of the first day of Duterte's confirmation of charges hearing on Monday, February 23 with the rest of the proceedings - mostly the prosecution side - largely fleshing out information already laid out in the ICC's preconfirmation brief released earlier this month.

The week-long hearing before Pre-Trial Chamber I will determine whether there is enough evidence to send Duterte to trial on three counts of crimes against humanity covering 78 murders and attempted murders between 2011 and 2019. A decision will not be rendered this week as judges have 60 days after the hearing to do so.

KAUFMAN VS. BUTUYAN