Salvador Panelo, who is part of Duterte’s legal team attending the confirmation of charges hearing at the ICC in The Hague, said on Monday that the prosecution’s opening statements against Duterte are not presenting anything new and are largely based on “rumors, speculation, allegations and hearsay” rather than hard evidence. He argued the defense responded to all assertions and insisted that if he were the judge, he would find the defense’s answers clearer.
Panelo also urged the defense to challenge the ICC’s jurisdiction, saying the Philippines has a capable legal system that could handle the case locally and that the ICC’s intervention was not necessary or constitutional. He emphasized that the Philippine judicial system has prosecuted and jailed many suspects, and he questioned why the ICC should intervene.
The ICC prosecutor alleges Duterte played a central role in crimes linked to his war on drugs, and the court has charged him with three counts of crimes against humanity (murder and attempted murder). Panelo is among six Filipino lawyers attending the hearings for Duterte’s defense.
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