ICC rejects Duterte bid for expert verification of evidence
The International Criminal Court has denied former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's request to mandate expert verification for open-source evidence in his crimes against humanity case. The court ruled that such a requirement would cause unnecessary delays.
Why it matters
This decision clarifies the evidentiary standards for international trials involving digital and open-source information, balancing due process with procedural efficiency.
MANILA, Philippines - The International Criminal Court (ICC) has rejected former President Rodrigo Duterte's request to require expert verification of open-source and user-generated evidence in his crimes against humanity case, saying the additional requirement could unnecessarily delay the start of his trial.
ICC Trial Chamber III, in a seven-page decision dated September 28, denied the defense's request to amend the court's E-Court Protocol to include an "expert verification field" for evidence listings.
The request was filed last month by Duterte's defense team, led by British lawyer Peter Haynes, amid concerns over the volume and quality of evidence disclosed by the prosecution.
The proposed amendment would have required another layer of authentication for evidence obtained from open sources or generated by users.
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