THE HAGUE, Netherlands— The International Criminal Court (ICC) denied a request from former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s legal team to disqualify two judges from Pre-Trial Chamber I, which is currently reviewing whether the Court retains jurisdiction over the Philippines.
Duterte’s defense team, led by international lawyer Nicholas Kaufman, sought the removal of Judges María del Socorro Flores Liera and Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou.
The judges remain tasked with assessing whether the ICC has jurisdiction despite the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute in 2019.
The investigation centers on allegations of extrajudicial killings and human rights abuses during Duterte’s anti-drug campaign.
The Philippines formally withdrew from the Rome Statute on March 17, 2019, a year after the ICC opened a preliminary investigation.
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