April 22 for the Dutertes: father and daughter a no-show at ICC and House Committee on Justice proceedings
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 20 April) – Former President Rodrigo Duterte will be a no-show on April 22 at the reading of the judgment on his appeal challenging the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, the Netherlands while on the same day, his daughter, Vice President Sara will again skip, for the third time, the clarificatory hearing of the House Committee on Justice in Quezon City on the impeachment complaints filed against her.
The ICC’s Appeals Chamber will deliver in open court at 11 a.m. on April 22 (5 p.m. in the Philippines) its judgment on the appeal of former President Duterte challenging the October 2025 ruling of the Pre-Trial Chamber 1 that it has jurisdiction over his case.
On April 13, Duterte’s lawyer, Nicholas Kaufmann requested the ICC “to permit Mr. Rodrigo Roa Duterte to absent himself from the reading of the judgment.”
“In his absence, and with his full permission, Mr Duterte will be represented by Counsel,” Kaufmann said.
In Quezon City, the hearing at the House Committee on Justice on April 22 is scheduled at 10 a.m. but VP Sara Duterte, who did not attend the hearings on March 25 and April 14, will also skip the hearing on April 22.
In a statement on March 25, the Vice President said she would rather attend to Filipinos in need than attend what she described as a “mini-trial.”
She also said the hearings are politically motivated and are being used to conduct “yet another fishing expedition against me.”
The reading of the decision of the ICC’s Appeals Chamber on April 22 comes six days before April 28, when the decision of the Pre-Trial Chamber I on the Confirmation of Charges is due.
The purpose of the Confirmation of Charges hearing is to determine if there is sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that the person committed the crimes he or she is suspected of.
At the end of the hearing on February 27, Presiding Judge Iulia Antoanella Motoc said the Chamber will deliberate if it will confirm the charges against Duterte, and that it would render its decision “within 60 days” – or on or before April 28.
The Pre-Trial Chamber 1 judges heard the oral submissions of the prosecutor, the common legal representatives of the victims, and the legal team representing Duterte, from February 23, 24, 26 and 27.
The 81-year old Duterte is facing three counts of murder as a crime against humanity, involving at least 76 deaths during his bloody war on drugs — 19 in Davao City while serving as mayor from 2013 to 2016, and 57 while serving as President between 2016 and 2018.
According to the ICC, the Pre-Trial Chamber may either confirm the charges and commit Duterte to trial before a Trial Chamber if there is sufficient evidence, or decline to confirm the charges and terminate the proceedings against him if evidence is lacking.
The Pre-Trial chamber may also “adjourn the hearing and request the Prosecutor to provide further evidence, to conduct further investigations, or to amend any charge for which the evidence submitted appears to establish a crime other than the one charged was committed.”
The April 22 hearing of the House Committee on Justice is the third of four scheduled hearings. The last hearing is scheduled on April 29. The Committee will then deliberate on whether or not there is probable cause to impeach the Vice President and file their committee report for submission to the Plenary. Congress resumes sessions on May 4.
Four impeachment complaints were filed but only two were found sufficient in form and substance: the complaint filed by a group of religious /civil society leaders led by Fr. Jose Saballa which was endorsed by Rep. Leila de Lima and the other filed by lawyer Nathaniel Cabrera, endorsed by Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. and La Union Rep. and Deputy Speaker Francisco Paolo Ortega.
The complaints cited among others, betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, and misuse of confidential funds in 2022-2023, procurement irregularities, misdeclarations in Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN), unexplained wealth, and graft.
A vote of at least one-third of all members of the House is required to approve the Articles of Impeachment. If approved, the Articles of Impeachment will be transmitted to the Senate which will convene as an impeachment court to conduct the trial.
A vote of 2/3 or 16 (out of 24 Senators) is needed to convict and remove from office an impeached official.
The Vice President was impeached by the House of Representatives in early February last year and the Articles of Impeachment were transmitted to the Senate no trial was held because Supreme Court in a unanimous decision in July declared it as unconstitutional, citing violation of due process and the one-year rule that no impeachment proceeding can be filed against the same official more than once in a year.
In its 97-page decision penned by Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, the Court said it is “not absolving Vice President Duterte from any of the charges against her” but said any subsequent impeachment complaint “may only be filed starting February 6, 2026.”
On February 18 this year, Sara declared she would run for President in 2028. (Carolyn O. Arguillas / MindaNews)
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