ICC Trial Chamber advises prosecution to reduce witnesses vs Duterte

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Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte appears before the International Criminal Court, as the court hears arguments regarding Duterte's health and ability to stand trial, while he faces murder charges related to his war on drugs, in The Hague, Netherlands, September 16 2026. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw/Pool

International Criminal Court (ICC) Trial Chamber III Presiding Judge Joanna Korner on Wednesday advised the Prosecution in former President Rodrigo Duterte’s crimes against humanity case to think about reducing the number of their witnesses.

The judge said the prosecution requested 193 hours to present its case, which she said was a "very lengthy period of time."

“You may want to think about whether it is possible to reduce the number of witnesses, as I say,” Korner said during the third status conference.

Korner noted that the prosecution has four experts on the same topic.

“It really is important… that we conclude the case as quickly as possible. I think you may want to think long and hard about this,” she said.

For their part, ICC trial lawyer Edward Jeremy said the prosecution will look for opportunities to streamline their case.

Jeremy said their request for 193 hours was already the “reduced version.”

Korner, meanwhile, clarified that the Trial Chamber will not make a decision today.

Duterte, who is is facing charges over alleged killings during his time as President and Davao City mayor, attended his status conference for the first time.

He was arrested in March 2025 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

The former Philippine leader is currently detained at the ICC Detention Centre in Scheveningen in The Hague, The Netherlands. — RSJ, GMA News