ICC plenary: No bias found in 2 judges Duterte sought to disqualify

The International Criminal Court plenary of judges found that no bias arises in respect of the two judges that the camp of former President Rodrigo Duterte sought to disqualify from his crimes against humanity case.

In the full decision published on July 3, the plenary said that Judge Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou and Judge María del Socorro Flores Liera acted in accordance with their duties at all times. 

“Accordingly, the plenary of judges, acting unanimously, considers that the Rome Statute recognises that Judges Alapini-Gansou and Flores may exercise the functions assigned to them,” it said.

It said that it found that “no appearance of bias or lack of impartiality arise from the ordinary exercise by the judges of legal functions assigned to them under the Statute in respect of two separate legal decisions.”

The plenary rejected Duterte camp’s disqualification request in June.

The full copy of the decision was published on the ICC website on July 3.

Duterte previously requested that Alapini-Sansou and Flores be disqualified from adjudicating on the issue of jurisdiction, saying this will ensure the autonomy and irreproachability of the judges as well as the efficient conduct of the proceedings

Duterte is currently under the custody of the ICC in The Hague, Netherlands.

The confirmation of charges will take place on September 23, 2025.

In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, CenterLaw Executive Director and ICC accredited counsel Gilbert Andres said that the ICC will also release the filing of the document containing charges (DCC) today.

He said this is similar to the “information” filed when charging individuals before Philippine courts.

“Dito po natin malalaman kung ‘yung crimes of humanity laban kay Mr. Duterte ay does it include murder lang o meron ba ‘yung tinatawag na imprisonment? ‘Yung mga arbitrary detentions,” he said.

(This is where we will find out whether the crimes against humanity against Mr. Duterte include only murder or if they also involve what we call imprisonment? The arbitrary detentions.) —AOL, GMA Integrated News