ICC judge: No discussion of Duterte case among judges, parties outside court proceedings

International Criminal Court (ICC) Trial Chamber III Judge Joanna Korner said on Wednesday that there will be no discussions between the judges and the parties regarding former President Rodrigo Duterte's case outside of court proceedings.

During the case's first status conference, Korner stressed that the pool of international criminal lawyers and judges is limited, and it is probable that judges and lawyers have already met. She said that the parties are likely to meet again at seminars or social functions.

“Although it's not possible to predict that with any certainty, the one thing it is possible to say with certainty is that there will be no discussion whatsoever of this case between parties and the judges at any such functions,” Korner said.

“As I said already, it has no impact on the way that this case will be conducted or any rulings that may be made by this chamber in respect of submissions made by both sides,” she added.

According to Korner, she had worked with ICC Prosecutor and Senior Trial Lawyer Julian Nicholls as counsel for the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) around 20 years ago.

Korner said that she has known Duterte’s defense counsel, Peter Haynes, for nearly as long.

Duterte is facing charges of crimes against humanity for murder and attempted murder over alleged killings during his time as Davao City mayor and president of the Philippines. — VBL, GMA News