ICHRP statement on postponement of Duterte ICC hearing
September 9, 2025
Just weeks before the confirmation of the charges hearing of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte at the International Criminal Court (ICC), Duterte’s defense team has issued a request for indefinite adjournment of the trial, creating an immediate delay The defense issued this request on the basis that Duterte is “not fit to stand trial”.
“The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) urges the court to swiftly investigate and decide on this matter so that the trial can proceed,” said ICHRP Chairperson Peter Murphy. “Any further delays to the process are an affront to the thousands of victims of Duterte in their quest for justice and accountability.”
The hearing, originally scheduled for September 23, 2025, has been postponed indefinitely while the ICC investigates the fitness claim. Duterte was issued a warrant of arrest by the ICC earlier this year for the alleged crime against humanity of murder carried out during his bloody “war on drugs”. The hearing, which has now been postponed, would confirm these charges and begin the official trial process of the court.
“The charge and arrest of Duterte are an important step in the struggle of the Filipino people for accountability and justice,” continued Murphy. “ICHRP stands in solidarity with the victims of former president Duterte, as well as the victims of the current Marcos Jr. regime in its brutal war of so-called ‘counter-insurgency’.”
Contact: Peter Murphy, +61 418 312 301, ichrp.net/contact
