The Registry of the International Criminal Court (ICC) recommended starting the trial of former President Rodrigo Duterte next year.

During the first status conference of ICC on the case of Duterte on Wednesday, Judge Joanna Korner said the Registry, the tribunal's administrative arm, recommended to start the trial in January 2027 while the prosecutors suggested to start on November 30, the representative of the victims wants it to begin in September 2026.

The Registry explained the need to have enough time to hire and train language interpreters before the start of the trial.

However, the representatives of the victims reject their recommendation noting that their clients are amenable to start the trial on November 30 but not in January 2027.

"They (victims) are amenable to start this trial 30th of November... is still a reasonable period of time. Jan 2027, No! For them it's too long," the counsel for the victims said.

On the other hand, Korner said "the defense doesn't want to give any date at all, until matters are resolved such as the accused's fitness."

Duterte's lead defense counsel Peter Haynes said the trial should start at least three months after the prosecution ends the disclosure of evidence.

"We will be ready for whenever you want to start but our anxiety is that, that should not be a date... perhaps one or two months after the end of prosecution disclosure, it should be a minimum of three," he said.

Korner said according to the prosecution, "it would take them until September to complete the disclosure." Robina Asido/PHS