Panelo After ICC Day 3: 'We Shattered the Prosecution's Case to Pieces' — But Admits He's Still Bracing for the Worst

Former presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo emerged from The Hague on Thursday night brimming with confidence — claiming that the defense team had 'shattered to pieces' the ICC prosecution's case against former President Rodrigo Duterte. Pero in the very same breath, he admitted: 'We are hoping for the best and expecting the worst.'

Speaking to reporters after Day 3 of the confirmation of charges hearing, Panelo said both testimonial and documentary evidence presented by prosecutors failed to establish Duterte's liability. 'Puro batay or based on hearsay, double hearsay, spekulasyon, surmises,' he claimed, alleging that witness testimonies were riddled with contradictions.

Panelo specifically targeted a police circular that the prosecution cited as proof of a 'command to kill.' According to him, the very same document actually states that arrests must be done 'in accordance with law' — which he said backfired spectacularly on the prosecution. 'Kaya sumabog sa mukha nila lahat,' he said colorfully.

The defense team's confidence aside, the stakes remain enormous. The ICC Office of the Prosecutor has charged Duterte with three counts of crimes against humanity — murder and attempted murder — linked to the war on drugs. Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang had argued on Day 1 that Duterte was 'at the very heart of the common plan to neutralize alleged criminals.'

Panelo also reiterated the defense's jurisdiction argument, insisting the ICC has no authority over the case under the Rome Statute's complementarity principle. The final hearing day is Friday, where all sides will deliver closing statements. Despite his bold claims, Panelo's admission that he's 'expecting the worst' tells you everything about how unpredictable this case really is.

Source: GMA News