Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) granted a request from former President Rodrigo Duterte’s legal team to modify his contact restrictions while in custody, according to a decision issued June 11, 2026.
In a seven-page ruling, the Trial Chamber III approved the addition of one individual to Duterte’s list of non-privileged contacts, allowing communication under existing monitoring conditions. The identity of the individual was redacted in the public version of the decision.
“For these reasons, the Chamber hereby orders the Registry to add [REDACTED] to the list of the Accused’s non-privileged contacts,” the Chamber said.
The court noted that Duterte’s defense argued for the change and that several key parties did not oppose the request. According to the decision, prosecutors and the Common Legal Representatives of Victims raised no objection, while the Victims and Witnesses Unit reported no concerns regarding the proposed modification.
Judges also cited the absence of reported violations of Duterte’s existing contact restrictions, as well as confirmation from the court’s Registry that it could implement the requested changes.
“In light of these circumstances, the Chamber finds that the current prohibitions on calls and visits between the Accused and [REDACTED] no longer seem necessary,” the ruling stated.
While granting the request, the Chamber said the broader restrictions imposed on Duterte would remain in place. Judges ruled that the circumstances that justified the original measures had not changed since an earlier decision issued on April 23, 2026.
“The Chamber therefore finds it appropriate to extend the current contact restrictions, subject to the modifications,” it said.
The order also directs the Registry to immediately inform the Chamber of any violations of the restrictions or other relevant developments.
Parties involved in the case have been instructed to submit public redacted versions of their filings no later than June 18, 2026.
Duterte remains in ICC custody as proceedings continue ahead of a trial scheduled later this year in connection with alleged human rights violations linked to his administration’s controversial anti-drug campaign.
