ICC rejects plea to disqualify victims’ lawyers 

The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) Pre-Trial Chamber (PTC) I has denied former President Rodrigo Duterte’s bid to disqualify the legal representatives of victims in his drug war case, stating that the defense did not demonstrate any conflict of interest or valid obstacle to their continued representation.

In a nine-page decision dated Feb. 20, the PTC I ruled that the defense’s request argued the existence of a conflict of interest without pointing to any clear legal basis.

The Duterte camp sought the delisting of Filipino lawyers Nicole Arcaina, Joel Butuyan and Gilbert Andres because the lawyers’ role for the victims is “structurally incompatible” since such a team may get evidence outside the disclosure scheme.

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But the chamber, however, pointed out that Article 12 of the Code of Professional Conduct applies only to counsel or their “associates,” but Arcaina is a case manager and not a counsel, so Article 12 does not apply.