International Criminal Court (ICC) Trial Chamber III Presiding Judge Joanna Korner raised concerns over the prosecution’s plan to present 197 speeches linked to former President Rodrigo Duterte in his crimes against humanity case during the first status conference in The Hague.
“197 speeches seem to be, on the face of it, too much, particularly if they would say the same thing. I think you need to consider very carefully whether you need it at all,” Korner told prosecutors during the proceedings.
The prosecution panel had listed the speeches as part of its planned evidence against Duterte, who is facing charges related to his administration’s anti-drug campaign.
ICC Senior Trial Lawyer Julian Nicholls responded that the prosecution is still reviewing its evidence presentation and may reduce the number of speeches presented during the trial.
Nicholls clarified that prosecutors “will not play everything” in court and said the evidence list would likely be narrowed down as the proceedings move forward.
He also informed the chamber that the prosecution intends to maximize the use of video-link testimony whenever necessary, especially for witnesses who may be unable to travel to The Hague to testify in person.
The discussion formed part of the ICC’s first status conference for Duterte’s case, where the court and parties tackled trial preparation, evidence handling, and procedural timelines ahead of formal proceedings.
