The Common Legal Representatives of Victims (CLRV) has asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) Trial Chamber III to grant the prosecution’s request to admit previously recorded testimonies of three witnesses in the crimes against humanity case against former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte.
In an eight-page document dated October 27, the CLRV said the testimonies do not appear to concern Duterte’s specific acts but could corroborate other witnesses’ accounts and help establish the contextual elements of the alleged crimes against humanity.
The victims’ representatives also argued that admitting the testimonies would be consistent with victims’ rights to a fair and expeditious trial.
TESTIMONIES CONCERN ALLEGED KILLINGS IN CENTRAL LUZON
According to the CLRV, the previously recorded testimonies and related documents concern alleged extrajudicial killings in Central Luzon and fall within the scope of Count 3 of the charges against Duterte.
The group said the testimonies appear to have sufficient indicators of reliability because they were voluntarily recorded during the prosecution’s investigation in the Philippines.
Their admission, the CLRV added, would serve the interests of justice by helping expedite proceedings and conserve the court’s time and resources.
The document was signed by lawyers Gilbert Andres, Joel Butuyan, and Paolina Massida.
DUTERTE FACES CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY CHARGES
Duterte is facing crimes against humanity charges in connection with alleged extrajudicial killings during his administration’s war on drugs, covering his time as president and his earlier tenure as mayor of Davao City.
He was arrested at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in March 2025 and is currently detained at the ICC Detention Centre in Scheveningen, The Hague, the Netherlands.
The ICC Trial Chamber III has found Duterte fit to stand trial, stating that he is able to effectively exercise his fair trial rights in the proceedings.
His trial is scheduled to begin on November 30.
The request concerns the admission of previously recorded witness testimonies and related documents, rather than new live testimony. The CLRV supports the prosecution’s request, arguing that the material may corroborate other witness accounts and establish the broader context of the alleged crimes. The decision rests with the ICC Trial Chamber III.