THE HAGUE, May 27 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- The International Criminal Court (ICC) said on Wednesday that it had scheduled the opening of the trial against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte for Nov 30, 2026, reported Xinhua.
"The date was set by the Chamber following a status conference on this matter and other issues related to trial preparation," the ICC said in a statement.
Trial Chamber III of the ICC considered submissions from the Prosecution, the Defence and other legal representatives, as well as the time required for the disclosure of evidence and related materials.
The ICC added that before the start of the trial, the Chamber will address all pending matters and adopt procedures necessary to ensure the fair and expeditious conduct of the proceedings.
On April 23, the ICC confirmed all three counts of "crimes against humanity" against Duterte and committed him to trial.
Duterte served as president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022.
He was arrested and transferred to ICC custody in March 2025 under a warrant related to his controversial anti-drug campaign, a move he has challenged.
His initial appearance before the court took place on March 14, 2025. On Nov. 28, 2025, the ICC rejected an appeal seeking his release based on age and declining health.
-- BERNAMA-XINHUA
BERNAMA provides up-to-date authentic and comprehensive news and information which are disseminated via BERNAMA Wires; www.bernama.com; BERNAMA TV on Astro 502, unifi TV 631 and MYTV 121 channels and BERNAMA Radio on FM93.9 (Klang Valley), FM107.5 (Johor Bahru), FM107.9 (Kota Kinabalu) and FM100.9 (Kuching) frequencies.
Follow us on social media :
Facebook : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatv, @bernamaradio
Twitter : @bernama.com, @BernamaTV, @bernamaradio
Instagram : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatvofficial, @bernamaradioofficial
TikTok : @bernamaofficial