ICC rejects Duterte request to revoke lawyers' appointments as victims' counsels

The International Criminal Court Pre-Chamber 1 has rejected the request of Rodrigo Duterte’s defense counsel to revoke the appointment of lawyers as the common legal representatives of the victims on the crimes against humanity charges against the former President.

In a nine-page public redacted version of the decision, the chamber said the defense’s arguments failed to show conflict of interest on the part of lawyers Joel Butuyan and Gilbert Andres. 

“In light of the above, the Chamber finds that the Defense’s alternative arguments do not demonstrate the existence of a conflict of interest regarding Mr. Butuyan and Mr. Andres within the meaning of article 16 of the Code,” the chamber said.

In an 11-page document dated February 11, Duterte’s legal team also asked the Chamber to direct the Registry to suspend the access of lawyers Butuyan, Andres, and Nicolene Arcaina to the case record pending its decision.

Arcaina had joined the team of common representatives for victims as a case manager.

The defense said they are seeking the lawyers’ disqualification on the grounds of an impediment to representation and on the basis of a conflict of interest.

They claimed that Butuyan and Andres have a professional relationship with Arcaina, having worked with her at CenterLaw Philippines. –NB, GMA Integrated News