Drug-war victims brace for ICC trial as Duterte case nears hearing stage

In The Hague, victims of the Philippine drug-war campaign are undergoing mental and logistical preparation for the International Criminal Court trial of former president Rodrigo Duterte. Counsel Kristina Conti reported that some victims are studying the case documents to anticipate the emotional strain of presenting evidence. At the court’s fourth status conference, a schedule was set for the first week of hearings: four hours each day, divided into one-hour segments with half-hour intermissions, starting at 10 a.m. and ending around 4:30 p.m. This plan, suggested by the ICC Registry rather than the prosecution or victims, seeks to balance thoroughness with participant stamina.

The defense has warned that consecutive evidentiary blocks could be taxing, and expects two- to three-week pauses between them. Despite these logistical debates, Conti expressed confidence that the hearings will proceed and that the focus is shifting toward substantive evidence on alleged crimes against humanity from 2011 to 2019.