(Letter of former President Rodrigo Duterte on waiving his right to attend the hearing on the confirmation of charges on February 23 to 27)
I, Rodrigo Roa Duterte, wish to waive my right to attend the hearing on the confirmation of charges currently fixed for 23-27 February 2026. I understand the consequences of my waiving this right which has been thoroughly explained to me by my Counsel and I trust him and his team to challenge the sufficiency of the Prosecution’s evidence on my behalf. I do not wish to follow these proceedings from outside the courtroom through the use of communications technology. An original copy of this waiver and my signature is in the hands of my lawyers.
My reasons are as follows:
I do not recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court over my person. I am a Filipino citizen forcibly pushed into a jet and renditioned to The Hague in the Netherlands in flagrant contravention of my country’s Constitution and of national sovereignty. My kidnapping was facilitated by the office of the incumbent President of the Philippines with a plane specially chartered for this purpose.
The claim that I oversaw a policy of extra-judicial killings is an outrageous lie. These claims have been peddled by my political opponents for many years and, as my nation knows, they are based on the word of individuals whose credibility has been thoroughly discredited.
I do not wish to attend legal proceedings that I will forget within minutes. I am old, tired, and frail. I wish for this Court to respect my peace inside the cell it has placed me. I have accepted the fact that I could die in prison. But those that desire this fate for me should know that my heart and soul will always remain in the Philippines.
I am proud of my legacy and of my service to my countrymen around the world. Let no one doubt my love for and loyalty to the Filipino nation.
Kaninyo, ako, magpabiling suluguon.
Rodrigo Roa Duterte
The ICC Detention Centre, The Hague, the Netherlands
Dated this 17th day of February 2026
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