MANILA, Philippines — Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday granted requests from both the defense team of former president Rodrigo Duterte and the Office of the Prosecutor to add new items to their respective lists of evidence, just days before the scheduled start of the confirmation of charges hearing. The Pre-Trial Chamber I issued the decision on Feb. 20, 2026 approving the defense's request to add 108 items to its evidence list, as well as the prosecution's request to admit fourteen additional items. The confirmation hearing is set to begin on Feb. 23. In its request, Duterte's legal team, led by counsel Nicholas Kaufman, argued that the additional materials were "highly relevant" to the crimes against humanity case against the former president. The defense noted that the prosecution had confirmed in inter partes communications that the addition of these items causes "no prejudice." According to the defense filing, six of the 108 items had previously been disclosed since February 2025 but have now become essential as evidence. Kaufman characterized the additional evidence as "modest" in volume, explaining that aside from three items, the new materials consist primarily of prosecution evidence or transcripts of audio-video material already disclosed by the prosecution. The defense further warned that not permitting the evidence "would cause significant prejudice to Mr. Duterte". The prosecution also filed its own request to add fourteen items to its evidence list, noting that the defense had agreed not to object to these additions during inter partes communications. In its ruling, the Chamber—composed of Presiding Judge Iulia Antoanella Motoc, Judge Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini-Gansou, and Judge Maria del Socorro Flores Liera—found "good cause" to grant both requests, citing "the limited extent of the requested additions, the nature of the material concerned and its relevance to the charges brought against the suspect, as well as the absence of objection from the parties". The confirmation of charges hearing, scheduled for Feb. 23-24 and Feb. 26-27, will determine whether there is sufficient evidence to send Duterte to trial for alleged crimes against humanity connected to his "war on drugs" campaign as mayor of Davao City and later as president. Duterte has been detained at the ICC detention facility at The Hague since March 2025.