Senator Robin Padilla revealed he did not watch the opening day of the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) confirmation of charges hearing against former President Rodrigo Duterte, saying it was difficult to witness a Filipino leader being tried overseas.
“Kaya nga hindi ako nanonood, kasi masakit para sa akin na tayo, mga Pilipino, tina-trial sa ibang bansa,” Padilla told reporters. “Hini-hearing tayo sa ibang bansa? My goodness!”
Padilla, a staunch Duterte ally, has consistently opposed the former president’s arrest in March 2025.
Together with Senators Bong Go and Ronald dela Rosa, he filed a resolution last July urging the Marcos administration to seek Duterte’s interim release under house arrest.
The measure gained 15 affirmative votes, though legal experts, including former ICC judge Raul Pangalangan, stressed that such a resolution carries no binding effect on the tribunal.
The senator said he intends to follow the upcoming hearings more closely to prepare for questions about the case.
“Panoorin ko para alam ko naman isasagot ko kasi hindi ko talaga pinanood,” he remarked.
The ICC formally opened its confirmation of charges hearing Monday, with Duterte facing three counts of crimes against humanity for murder linked to his administration’s war on drugs.