Prosecutor: Time for Rody to take responsibility

The International Criminal Court (ICC) wrapped up the confirmation of charges hearing against former president Rodrigo Duterte on Friday night (Manila time), with the parties making their final arguments as to whether the case should proceed to trial.

- By JANVIC MATEO

"We're here in this court to prosecute the most responsible, and the most responsible is... former president Duterte," senior trial lawyer Julian Nicholls said in his closing statement for the prosecution.

"It's time for him to take responsibility for these crimes he brags about and glories in," he said.

Nicholls urged the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I to confirm the charges, saying there was enough evidence for the case to go to trial.

He closed with a clip from Duterte’s speech before supporters in Hong Kong, delivered a few days before his arrest in March 2025, in which the former president seemingly took responsibility for the killings.

“He must answer for the dead. The victims demand it. Justice demands it and, for purposes of confirmation, the evidence demands it,” Nicholls said. “We have proven it to the level for this to be bound over for trial. We ask you to do that, your honors.”

Pretrial judges will have 60 days to rule whether there is “sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe” that Duterte committed alleged crimes against humanity.

The last of the four-day confirmation hearing against Duterte was extended by 30 minutes after the chamber allowed defense lawyer Nicholas Kaufman to deliver the rest of his presentation on merits during the day’s first session.

The extension was given after several redactions were made in Kaufman’s presentation on Thursday to protect the identities of victims and witnesses.

Delivery of closing statements, which was supposed begin during the first session, was moved to the second session, which started at 10:30 a.m. in The Hague (6:30 p.m. in Manila).

In his closing statement, Nicholls responded to the arguments presented by Kaufman, including his repeated assertions that there was “no common plan” that would tie Duterte to the killings.