ICC rejects plea to disqualify EJK victims’ lawyersFather Flavie Villanueva joins hands with relatives of extrajudicial killings of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war during inurnment rites at the ‘Dambana ng Paghilom’ in Caloocan on February 20, 2026. MANILA, Philippines — Pre-trial judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) have rejected the request of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s lead counsel Nicholas Kaufman to disqualify the Filipino lawyers appointed as external legal representatives of extrajudicial killing victims in the proceedings. “The request argues the existence of a conflict of interest without pointing to any clear legal basis…. The court noted that Kaufman sought the disqualification of Butuyan, Andres and Arcaina, but then concluded his request with a plea to revoke the appointment of common legal representatives for the victims (CLRV). She clarified, however, that the confirmation of charges is not a “trial” as it is still part of pre-trial proceedings.

Source: Philippine Star February 22, 2026 01:00 UTC