DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 20 April) – Former President Rodrigo Duterte will be absent on April 22 during the reading of the judgment on his appeal challenging the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands. On the same day, his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, will skip the clarificatory hearing of the House Committee on Justice in Quezon City for the third time regarding impeachment complaints filed against her. The ICC’s Appeals Chamber will deliver its judgment at 11 a.m. on April 22 (5 p.m. in the Philippines) on Duterte’s appeal against the October 2025 Pre-Trial Chamber 1 ruling asserting jurisdiction over his case. His lawyer, Nicholas Kaufmann, requested Duterte’s absence, stating he will be represented by counsel. Meanwhile, VP Sara, who missed hearings on March 25 and April 14, will also be absent on April 22, citing her focus on assisting Filipinos and dismissing the hearings as politically motivated. The ICC’s April 22 judgment precedes the April 28 deadline for the Pre-Trial Chamber I’s Confirmation of Charges decision, determining if sufficient evidence exists to proceed with charges against Duterte. The former president faces three counts of murder as crimes against humanity, linked to 76 deaths during his anti-drug campaign. Separately, the House Committee on Justice will hold its third of four hearings on April 22, with the final hearing on April 29, before deliberating on impeachment charges against VP Sara. Four impeachment complaints were filed, citing betrayal of public trust and misuse of funds, among other allegations. Conviction requires a two-thirds Senate vote. VP Sara, who announced her presidential bid for 2028 on February 18, previously faced impeachment proceedings, which the Supreme Court deemed unconstitutional in 2023 due to procedural violations.
