He accused the ICC prosecution of "cherry-picking" speeches to prove he incited to murder over speeches with Duterte's more tempered language. Kaufman said it found 35 speeches where Duterte referenced lawful self-defense, versus 20 the prosecution cited as evidence of incitement to murder. Instead, he trained his fire on Duterte’s speeches and the media coverage around them. "It is indeed the defense case that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. set out to neutralize Rodrigo Duterte and his legacy," Kaufman told the three-judge chamber. Marcos has denied the arrest was politically motivated, saying the case was initiated in 2017 while Duterte was still president.

Source: Philippine Star February 24, 2026 08:56 UTC