Duterte defense team wants prosecution to ‘reframe’ charges

MANILA, Philippines — The defense team of former president Rodrigo Duterte wants the prosecution to “reframe” the crimes against humanity charges against him and file an updated document before the pre-trial chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

In an 11-page motion dated Aug. 31, defense counsel Peter Haynes said the original document containing the charges (DCC) filed by the prosecution “is not fit for purpose and should be struck out.”

According to the defense, the DCC was framed “around illustrative non-exhaustive incidents” grouped into topical headings, supposedly in violation of the former president’s right to be informed in detail of the nature, cause and content of the charges against him.

Duterte is facing charges of crimes against humanity, grouped into three sets of incidents: alleged murders in Davao from 2013 to 2016, alleged murders of high-value targets from 2016 to 2017 and alleged murders and attempted murders in relation to barangay operations from 2016 to 2018.

“The prosecution’s decision to frame the charges in this entirely novel way makes it impossible for the defendant to know what case he has to meet at trial,” read the defense’s motion.