The International Criminal Court (ICC) has rejected the request from former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s legal team to disqualify the lawyers representing victims in the war on drugs case, court records show. The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber refused to remove the external legal representatives after finding no valid grounds to support the defense’s motion.
Duterte’s camp filed the motion on February 11, 2026, seeking to revoke the designations of lawyers Joel R. Butuyan, Gilbert T. Andres, and Nicolene S. Arcaina, whom the ICC Registry had appointed to represent victims of alleged crimes against humanity linked to the Philippines’ controversial anti-drug campaign. The defense cited an alleged conflict of interest and impediments to representation, though specific supporting claims were redacted in court filings.
The Office of the Prosecutor informed the court it would not take a position on the disqualification bid, effectively leaving the matter to the judges to decide based on legal standards rather than prosecutorial advocacy.
The ICC’s decision upholds victims’ rights to legal representation under the Rome Statute, strengthening the role of counsel in ensuring victims’ voices are heard as the case moves forward. The tribunal has also recently allowed additional victims to seek inclusion in the proceedings, with hundreds more applications received for registration as the case progresses.
Duterte, who has consistently denied the court’s jurisdiction, is scheduled for a confirmation of charges hearing from Feb. 23 to 27 in The Hague. The hearing will determine whether there is sufficient evidence for his case—which alleges crimes against humanity in connection with Duterte’s anti-narcotics campaign—to proceed to trial. His defense has further been granted permission to skip attending these hearings in person, a rare move granted under ICC procedural rules.
Human rights groups and victims’ representatives have welcomed the ICC’s ruling, as it preserves the integrity of victim participation and legal advocacy in a case that has drawn global scrutiny. The decision underscores the court’s commitment to due process and adherence to international legal norms.
