Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have asked judges to require former President Rodrigo Duterte’s defense to clarify the role of six Filipino lawyers publicly linked to his legal team during the confirmation of charges proceedings in The Hague.
At the February 23–24 hearing, defense counsel Nicholas Kaufman introduced several Filipino lawyers—including Salvador Medialdea, Salvador Panelo, Martin Delgra, Silvestre Bello III, Cesar Dulay, and Alfredo Lim Jr.—as lawyers “ably assisted and supported” by the defense, although they were seated in the public gallery.
Kaufman later told media that at least two of them, Medialdea and Delgra, had been working with the defense, while Panelo said the group planned to meet with the defense to discuss strategies.
The prosecution argued that these statements created the impression that the six were formally part of Duterte’s ICC defense team, which would entitle them to access confidential case materials.
“The Prosecution requires clarification on whether these individuals are in fact members of Mr. Duterte’s defense team in order to conduct thorough risk assessments,” the filing stated.
Prosecutors asked the chamber to confirm on record that the six lawyers are not official members of the defense, have not received confidential disclosures, will not access non-public filings, and are not entitled to privileged meetings with Duterte at the ICC detention facility.
The request, filed on March 6, 2026, cited the prosecution’s duty under the Rome Statute to safeguard the security and privacy of victims and witnesses.
Duterte was arrested on March 11, 2025, upon arrival from Hong Kong following an ICC warrant tied to the investigation into his administration’s anti-drug campaign.
The court alleges that during his presidency, he created and supported death squads responsible for the killings of suspected drug users and dealers. He was transported to The Hague the same day to face proceedings before the tribunal.