E-Paper
Sign In
No family visits allowed for ex Philippine president Duterte during ICC hearings
Rodrigo Duterte is facing crimes against humanity charges linked to his anti-drug campaign during his time as president and earlier as Davao City mayor
- PUBLISHED: Sun 22 Feb 2026, 2:10 PM
No member of the family of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has been allowed to visit him during the course of hearings with the International Criminal Court (ICC).
In a statement, the Duterte family said no face-to-face visits have been approved while the court proceedings are ongoing.
Recommended For You
“Please be informed that there are no approved in-person family visits to former President Rodrigo Duterte while the court conducts hearings,” the statement read, as reported by Philippines' Inquirer.net.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
Duterte has been in ICC custody since March last year, facing crimes against humanity charges linked to his anti-drug campaign during his time as president and earlier as Davao City mayor.
The hearing on the confirmation of charges against him will be held on Feb. 23, 24, 26, and 27.
The Duterte family also disclosed the roster of Filipino lawyers who will attend the hearings. Among them are former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea, former presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo, and former labour chief Silvestre Bello III. They are joined by lawyers Martin Delgra III, Alfredo Lim Jr. and Caesar Dulay.
The former president had asked to be excused from attending the confirmation of charges proceedings. The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I granted the request, allowing the hearings to proceed without him.
Duterte previously waived his right to appear before the court — whether in person or via video link — maintaining that he does not recognise the jurisdiction of the Hague-based tribunal over him. He has described himself as “old, tired and frail” and has accepted the likelihood of his dying while in detention.
A complaint was first lodged against Duterte before the ICC in June 2017. In March 2018, he announced the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute or the treaty which established the ICC. The withdrawal took effect a year after in March 2019.
Despite this, the ICC said it retained jurisdiction over alleged crimes in the Philippines — from November 1, 2011, to March 16, 2019 — while the country was still a state party.
On March 12, 2025, Duterte was arrested at Ninoy Aquino International Airport and detained at Villamor Air Base the same day.
At least 6,000 people were killed during the war on drugs under Duterte’s administration, according to official government data. However, human rights watchdogs and the ICC prosecutor estimate the death toll to be between 12,000 and 30,000 from 2016 to 2019.
