ICC adopts 1-hour trial blocks with 30-minute breaks for Duterte trial

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The International Criminal Court (ICC) Trial Chamber III has adopted a trial schedule of one-hour blocks separated by 30-minute breaks for the crimes against humanity case against former President Rodrigo Duterte, acting on expert advice.

Trial Chamber III adopted the modified sitting schedule during the fifth and final status conference for the case, held at the ICC in The Hague on Monday.

Duterte was not present after the court granted a defense request excusing him from the proceeding.

“In order to accommodate what the experts advised in respect to Mr. Duterte, we'll run now from 10 [a.m.] to 11 [a.m.], 11:30 [a.m.] to 12:30 [p.m.],” Presiding Judge Joanna Korner said.

“There will be a one-hour break for lunch… But I think this is necessary because of the circumstances of the case to keep those breaks and also finish at a time which allows everybody to deal with matters outside the trial,” she added.

In a decision made public on October 8, Trial Chamber III found Duterte fit to stand trial and instructed the ICC Registry to make necessary arrangements for the court proceedings.

Among the measures recommended by the Registry was a sitting schedule organized into one-hour blocks.

Under the adopted schedule, Duterte’s trial proceedings are expected to run from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., resume from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and break for lunch from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Trial proceedings will resume from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and will continue following the same pattern of one-hour sessions separated by 30-minute breaks.

The trial proper in the case against Duterte is set to open on November 30, 2026. — BM, GMA News

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