President Marcos will not be monitoring the International Criminal Court (ICC) confirmation of charges hearing of former president Rodrigo Duterte, set to start on Feb. 23, stressing that the Chief Executive remains focused on national concerns.

“Hindi po kailangang mag-monitor ng Pangulo (There is no need for the President to monitor it),” Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a press briefing on Friday, Feb. 20.

“Ang sabi nga natin, ang mino-monitor po ng Pangulo ay iyong interes po ng ating bansa (As we’ve said, what the President monitors are the interests of our country),” she added.

While the President will not actively monitor the proceedings, Castro said he would still be kept informed.

“Hindi po imo-monitor, pero siyempre kailangan pong maging update ang Pangulo sa lahat ng nangyayari, dahil mga kapwa Filipino natin ang nasasangkot dito (He will not monitor it, but of course the President needs to be updated on what is happening, because fellow Filipinos are involved),” she said.

“Kung mayroon pong mangyayari sa hearing, ito po ay personal na po kay dating pangulong Duterte. At tatandaan po natin na ang mga nagsampa po ng kasong ito ay kapwa nating Filipino. Filipino ang nagsampa ng kaso, nirereklamo ay kapwa nating Filipino (If anything happens in the hearing, that is personal to former President Duterte. And we must remember that those who filed the case are fellow Filipinos. Filipinos filed the case, and the one being complained of is also a fellow Filipino),” she added.

The confirmation of charges hearing before the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I will determine whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial over alleged crimes against humanity linked to the anti-drug campaign.

Duterte, arrested in March 2025, manifested that he would waive his right to personally attend the hearing, while the prosecution has opposed the request and asked the Chamber to require his attendance.

Castro also pushed back against the Duterte camp’s continued claim that the former president was “kidnapped” when he was brought to The Hague.

“Tayo nga po ay lubhang nagtataka dahil patuloy nila itong ginagawang naratiba at ang purpose lamang nito ay sirain at ibagsak ang imahe ng ating Pangulo (We are puzzled why they continue to push this narrative, and its only purpose is to destroy and bring down the image of the President),” she said.

The Palace Press Officer cited Duterte’s own past statement indicating he was willing to be arrested if a warrant were issued by the ICC.

“Assuming it’s [referring to the warrant] true, why did I do it— for myself, for my family, for you and your children, and for our nation,” Castro said, citing Duterte’s speech in Hong Kong a day before his arrest last year.

“If it is truly my fate in life, it’s okay. I will accept it— they can arrest me, imprison me,” she added, noting that Duterte even dared the ICC to “hurry up.”

Castro said such statements contradict allegations of kidnapping.

“So, papaano nilang masasabing may kidnapping kung mismo ang dating Pangulong Duterte ay handang magpaaresto kapag ang warrant of arrest ng ICC ay nandiyan na? (So how can they claim there was kidnapping when former president Duterte himself was willing to be arrested once the ICC warrant was there?),” she said.

The Palace has repeatedly maintained that the government acted in accordance with the law and in coordination with international authorities in connection with Duterte’s transfer to The Hague.