Marilyn Cahatol

Article (news)

Zen Hernandez

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) have authorized dozens of victims of the Philippines’ deadly anti-drug campaign to participate in pre-trial proceedings against former president Rodrigo Duterte, while formally appointing a single team of lawyers to represent their collective interests.</p><p>In a decision dated January 26, Pre-Trial Chamber I ruled that victims whose cases fall within the scope of the prosecution’s charges may take part in the confirmation of charges proceedings, scheduled to begin on 23 February 2026.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/27/all-systems-go-for-icc-confirmation-of-charges-vs-duterte-0903">All systems go for ICC confirmation of charges vs Duterte</a></div><p>The case covers incidents of murder and attempted murder allegedly linked to the so-called Davao Death Squad (DDS) and the Duterte administration’s “war on drugs,” committed between 1 November 2011 and 16 March 2019.</p><p>The Chamber examined 304 victim applications submitted through the court’s Registry and classified them into three groups.</p><p>It authorized the participation of 29 individuals under “Group A,” whose applications clearly met the ICC’s definition of victims, as well as a broader set of applicants under “Group C,” whose alleged harm was found to be sufficiently linked to the crimes charged against Duterte.</p><p>Judges rejected 10 applications classified as “Group B,” finding that these fell outside the temporal or material scope of the case.</p><p>It was emphasized however, that rejected applicants are not permanently excluded. Under ICC rules, victims whose applications were denied may file again at a later stage of the proceedings, particularly if the scope of the case expands following the confirmation of charges.</p><p>To manage victim participation efficiently, the Chamber confirmed that victims will be represented through a system of common legal representation.</p><p>The court instructed the Registry to appoint Filipino lawyers, Atty. Joel Butuyan and Atty. Gilbert Andres, both ICC listed counsels, together with a member of the ICC’s Office of Public Counsel for Victims (OPCV), as the common legal representatives for all admitted victims.</p><p>It also rejected defense objections that question the suitability of the appointed lawyers.</p><p>“The Defence submits that it will object to the involvement of any common legal representative who has ‘accused Mr Duterte’s “camp” of fuelling online hatred and judicial trolling’ or has ‘persistently criticized defence strategy in media interviews, voiced derogatory slurs concerning Counsel, expressed preconceived views as to Mr Duterte’s guilt or derogatory comments on his character’,” the judges said in paragraph 30 of the decision.</p><p>But the Chamber ruled that alleged public statements attributed to the lawyers, did not amount to inappropriate conduct and did not affect their ability to represent victims professionally.</p><p>“The Chamber recalls that, according to rule 90 of the Rules, ‘victim[s] shall be free to choose a legal representative’ and that Mr Butuyan and Mr Andres are eligible to be appointed as legal representatives of the victims. The Chamber considers that the public views purportedly expressed by potential legal representatives of victims are only relevant insofar as they impact their ability to represent the interests of the victims or to comply with their obligations under the Code of Professional Conduct for Counsel. In the present case, the Chamber has identified no ‘inappropriate conduct’, as alleged by the Defence,” the chamber said.</p><p>The common legal representatives were immediately granted access to the case record, including filings, decisions, and transcripts, subject to confidentiality restrictions.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/26/-denied-due-process-duterte-s-counsel-says-will-appeal-icc-decision-2338">&#x27;Denied due process&#x27;: Duterte&#x27;s counsel says will appeal ICC decision</a></div><p>The decision also noted that the legal team will be supported by two field assistants tasked with facilitating communication between the lawyers and victims on the ground, assisting in information-gathering, and helping the team understand the local context of the alleged crimes.</p><p>In an interview with ABS-CBN News, ICC Assistant to Counsel Atty. Kristina Conti confirmed that she is one of the two field assistants, alongside former Bayan Muna Representative Atty. Neri Colmenares.</p><p>Finally, the Chamber rejected a request by the OPCV to reopen the application process for additional victims at this stage of the proceedings.</p><p>Judges said reopening the process could delay the case and disproportionately affect the rights of the accused, noting that victims who were not admitted at this stage may still seek participation later if the case proceeds to trial.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/26/icc-pre-trial-chamber-i-says-duterte-fit-to-take-part-in-pre-trial-proceedings-1813">ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I says Duterte &#x27;fit to take part in pre-trial proceedings&#x27;</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BuiLsjQd7Ls?si=zO_LDyzidbNFqHR-" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) have authorized dozens of victims of the Philippines’ deadly anti-drug campaign to participate in pre-trial proceedings against former president Rodrigo Duterte.</p>

Judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) have authorized dozens of victims of the Philippines’ deadly anti-drug campaign to participate in pre-trial proceedings against former president Rodrigo Duterte.

ICC greenlights victim participation in Duterte case, appoints common legal representatives

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ICC greenlights victim participation in Duterte case, appoints common legal representatives

Zen Hernandez,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 27, 2026 07:39 PM PHT

Read More:

Rodrigo Duterte

Nicholas Kaufman

ICC

Pre-Trial Chamber

Appeals Chamber

War on Drugs

Crimes Against Humanity

tokhang

EJK

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