Defense says: “We’re not delaying the hearing—but something’s wrong.”
🚨 Big drama is unfolding in the international courtrooms of The Hague, as former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s defense team is now facing intense scrutiny over the upcoming International Criminal Court (ICC) hearing scheduled for September 23.
But the plot just thickened.
📢 Duterte’s lawyers say: “We’re not asking for a delay!”
In a bold statement, Duterte’s top lawyer Nicholas Kaufman strongly denied that they requested to suspend or postpone the hearing where the ICC is supposed to confirm whether Duterte will be formally charged for his role in the deadly drug war.
🗣️ “We are not trying to delay anything,” Kaufman said. “We’re only raising serious concerns about new information and missing documents that we need to properly defend Mr. Duterte.”
🕵️♂️ The Mysterious New Evidence
In a redacted (meaning secret or partially hidden) legal filing dated July 18, Duterte’s legal team said they just received new information that could seriously affect the case.
Here’s where it gets intense:
🔒 The document reveals that this new info came from an undisclosed person selected by someone whose identity and qualifications are hidden from the defense team.
📄 “This [REDACTED] information is critical,” the document states.
“Without knowing who gave it or why, we can’t move forward fairly.”
Because of this mystery, the defense said they will raise this as a reason to stop the hearing from happening—at least until everything is clear and all evidence is on the table.
⚖️ A Status Conference Request Before the Deadline
The defense earlier requested a “status conference”—a legal meeting to clarify urgent issues—before July 25, just weeks before the planned September hearing.
They say this will help determine if the ICC’s timeline is still realistic or if it needs adjusting.
💬 “We’ve been asking to talk about this problem from the start,” Kaufman added.
🧷 “The delays weren’t caused by us. We need important documents the court still hasn’t given us.”
😟 Victims’ Families Getting Anxious
On the other side of the courtroom, the victims’ families are getting worried.
🎙️ Kristina Conti, assistant to the counsel representing drug war victims, said many are concerned about what’s happening.
📢 “We’re waiting too. If there’s going to be a status conference, we want to know what direction the case is headed,” she said in a Facebook post.
🔒 Duterte Still Detained, But Justice Is on Pause
As of now, Rodrigo Duterte remains jailed at the Hague Penitentiary Institution, also known as Scheveningen Prison. He is being held accountable for the bloody drug war carried out during his time as president.
📊 According to government records, over 6,000 people died in anti-drug operations.
😨 But human rights groups say it may be as high as 30,000 deaths, including unreported killings.
🎭 What’s Next?
Will this mystery evidence change the course of the trial?
Will the ICC push through or pause the hearing?
One thing is clear: the stakes are sky-high, and the battle between justice and defense is far from over.
