A judge from the International Criminal Court (ICC) has stepped down from handling a petition lodged by former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, which seeks the disqualification of two ICC judges involved in his case over alleged crimes against humanity.
Judge Beti Hohler voluntarily recused herself from the matter on May 13, a decision formalized in a document issued by the ICC Plenary of Judges on May 23. Hohler cited her previous role as a prosecution trial lawyer for the Philippines case from 2019 to 2022, which could pose a conflict of interest.
The request was approved by an ad hoc Presidency consisting of Judges Tomoko Akane, Rosario Salvatore Aitala, and Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza.
Duterte’s legal team had earlier appealed for the disqualification of Judges Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou and María del Socorro Flores Liera, arguing that their removal would “ensure the autonomy and irreproachability of the judges as well as the efficient conduct of the proceedings.”
That appeal was previously rejected by the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber 1, but the ICC plenary has now requested both Alapini-Gansou and Flores to submit their observations on the matter.
Duterte, who is currently in ICC custody in The Hague, is awaiting a crucial proceeding set for September 23, 2025, when the court will decide whether to confirm the charges against him.
