THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The International Criminal Court (ICC) has turned down former President Rodrigo Duterte’s request to disqualify two judges from handling his challenge against the court’s jurisdiction in his ongoing case.
Duterte is currently being investigated for crimes against humanity over alleged extrajudicial killings tied to his administration’s anti-drug campaign.
On June 9, the ICC’s plenary of judges met to consider Duterte’s request to disqualify Judge Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou and Judge María del Socorro Flores Liera from the proceedings.
“The plenary of judges, acting unanimously, decided to reject the application,”
said the decision, signed by Judge Tomoko Akane.
A detailed version of the ruling will be released soon, the court said.
Duterte had asked that the two judges be removed from ruling on his Defence Challenge with Respect to Jurisdiction, but the court found no basis to grant the request.
Meanwhile, the ICC’s Office of the Public Counsel for Victims has called for the full dismissal of Duterte’s jurisdictional challenge.
