Two International Criminal Court (ICC) judges handling former President Rodrigo Duterte’s crimes against humanity case have urged the tribunal to reject his bid to disqualify them, calling the move baseless.
In a three-page response dated May 22, Judges Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou and María del Socorro Flores Liera affirmed their impartiality and adherence to judicial duties under the Rome Statute.
“There is no reason to question our neutrality. None of the criteria under Article 41(2) of the Rome Statute are satisfied,” they wrote, adding that they have always acted professionally and request that the disqualification attempt be denied.
Duterte’s legal team had earlier asked the ICC Presidency to remove the two judges from the case, alleging bias regarding jurisdiction matters. However, the judges emphasized that previous rulings on jurisdiction were procedural and did not influence the current proceedings.
They argued that it’s incorrect to assume that judges cannot handle a case simply because they ruled on earlier, unrelated legal stages in the same case.
Duterte remains in ICC custody in The Hague, with his confirmation of charges hearing set for September 23, 2025.