The International Criminal Court (ICC) has formally designated two Filipino human rights lawyers to represent victims of the Duterte administration’s “war on drugs” during upcoming pre-trial proceedings at The Hague.
In a 15-page decision issued Monday, Pre-Trial Chamber I directed the court’s administrative unit to appoint Joel Butuyan and Gilbert Andres as common legal representatives for at least 29 recognized victims.
The appointment comes ahead of high-stakes hearings scheduled to begin on February 23 to confirm crimes against humanity charges against former President Rodrigo Duterte.
The Chamber highlighted the lawyers’ “competence, nationality, and familiarity with the context of the alleged crimes” as decisive factors in their selection.
The court noted that their ability to communicate with victims in their native language and their long-standing history of assisting families affected by the drug war would ensure the victims’ views and concerns are effectively presented.
According to the ruling, both Butuyan and Andres are registered ICC practitioners and have no record of professional misconduct or conflict of interest.
The decision follows an assessment of 304 victim applications.
While the court authorized the participation of 29 individuals under “Group A” and select applicants from “Group C,” it rejected several other petitions.
Specifically, the Chamber excluded applications involving alleged murders that occurred outside the scope of the prosecution’s current charges or outside of Davao City during Duterte’s tenure as mayor.
Under the Rome Statute, victims are granted the right to participate in proceedings that affect their interests, allowing them to provide personal accounts and legal observations independently of the prosecution.
The upcoming February hearings will determine whether there is sufficient evidence to move the case against the former president to a full trial.
Duterte was recently found “fit for trial” by the ICC, clearing a major procedural hurdle for the international tribunal.