After SC denies De Lima, Barry Gutierrez steps in as senators’ lawyer in ICC pullout case

Former Akbayan party-list representative Ibarra "Barry" Gutierrez III has stepped in as lawyer for the six opposition senators challenging the Philippines' withdrawal of its membership from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Gutierrez formally entered his appearance as counsel for Senators Francis Pangilinan, Franklin Drilon, Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Leila de Lima, Risa Hontiveros and Antonio Trillanes IV on Wednesday, after the Supreme Court (SC) denied, for the third time, their request for the detained De Lima to represent them.

The senators have failed to convince the SC to allow De Lima, jailed on drug charges, to attend, personally argue, or participate through live video or audio feed in the oral arguments on the ICC pullout case last Tuesday and on September 4.

The lawmakers skipped last Tuesday's oral arguments and asked through a representative to be given until next week to decide the issue of their representation. The SC noted the request.

The oral arguments are in connection with the consolidated pleadings of the six senators and the Philippine Coalition for the ICC asking for the nullification of the administration's withdrawal from the Rome Statute, the establishing treaty of the Hague-based ICC, without the concurrence of two-thirds of the Senate.

The Senate ratified the Rome Statute in 2011, and the petitioners argue the legislative body's consent is also required for withdrawing from the treaty.

President Rodrigo Duterte declared the pullout—which will be effective by March next year unless the SC steps in—weeks after the ICC announced it was launching an initial review of allegations against him over his deadly crackdown on illegal drugs. — BM, GMA News