The Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has announced it will deliver its judgment on former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s appeal for interim release on November 28, 2025.
The ruling is scheduled to be read in open court at The Hague at 10:30 a.m. local time.
Duterte’s legal team is challenging an earlier decision by the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I, which denied the request for his provisional freedom.
The Pre-Trial Chamber cited three necessary grounds under the Rome Statute for Duterte’s continued detention: to ensure his appearance at trial, to prevent him from obstructing the investigation or proceedings, and to stop the potential commission of further crimes.
Duterte, who is facing charges of crimes against humanity, including murder, in connection with his administration’s “war on drugs,” was arrested in March 2025 and is currently detained at Scheveningen Prison in The Hague.
In arguing for Duterte’s release, the defense team asserted that the initial chamber erred in its findings.
Duterte’s lawyers cited humanitarian concerns regarding the former president’s health, as well as guarantees offered by an undisclosed third country willing to host him under surveillance.
The prosecution, however, has maintained that his detention is necessary to prevent flight and interference with the proceedings.