A LAWYER for the families of victims of extrajudicial killings during the bloody war on drugs on Saturday accused the legal team of former president Rodrigo Duterte of dragging out proceedings at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Kristina Conti, ICC assistant to counsel, said Duterte's defense has been filing motions aimed at delaying the trial — most recently a confidential bid to disqualify two of the three judges presiding over the case.

"That request, submitted alongside a jurisdictional challenge, leaves only one judge to handle the proceedings," Conti said. "This will likely stall the case further, perhaps by several months or more."

She warned that the tactic could be part of a broader political play, with Duterte allies seeking to extend public sympathy ahead of the 2025 midterm elections and amid calls for the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte.

"September is already so close — are we really going to backtrack now?" she asked, referring to the trial's expected timeline. "We hope it doesn't take this direction. This case has already been delayed by eight, nine years. Families can't be made to wait forever."

Conti was referring to the commencement of the confirmation of charges hearing, which was set for Sept. 23, 2025.

Harassment and intimidation of victims' families by Duterte loyalists have reportedly continued since his March 11 arrest, when he was arrested by the Philippine National Police and Interpol and flown to The Hague on the same day.

Duterte is facing charges of crimes against humanity over thousands of deaths linked to the drug war. Human Rights Watch estimates the toll at roughly 30,000, the majority from poor communities. Official Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) figures, however, report 6,241 drug-related killings from July 1, 2016, to March 16, 2019.

The ICC's investigation spans from Nov. 1, 2011— covering Duterte's term as mayor of Davao City — until the Philippines' withdrawal from the Rome Statute in 2019.

Conti said the families remain hopeful but weary.

"They have carried the burden of grief and impunity for almost a decade. Every day delayed is a day without closure."

On Friday, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla met with Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) officials led by MGen. Nicolas Torre III to map out their reply to the charges filed before the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the arrest of the former president.

In an interview with reporters, Remulla said they plan to ask the Ombudsman for more time to answer the charges.

He said among the matters they plan to bring up are the pending cases before the Supreme Court, which may pose a prejudicial question on the Ombudsman cases.

"We just agreed that we'll adopt; we'll just have one answer for all procedural issues, aside from the other allegations that are individual. Then we have an answer for everyone for the commonly held issues," Remulla said.

"Separate submissions, but we will have a general answer for procedural issues. We might have to get an extension because 10 days is not enough."

Remulla said it is difficult to answer something that is sub judice, or pending in a court of law.

Court rules disallow lawyers from taking part in the public discussion of a pending case that tends to sway the tribunal to rule and side with a party of the case.

Following Duterte's arrest and transfer to the Netherlands, a number of petitions have been filed by his children and others before the Supreme Court.

"It's sub judice. The Supreme Court has no determination yet on what transpired," Remulla said.

WITH PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY