MANILA — Former President Rodrigo Duterte has asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) Pre-Trial Chamber I to revoke the appointment of three common legal representatives for the victims of his controversial war on illegal drugs.

In an 11-page filing dated February 11, Duterte’s legal team also requested that the ICC Registry suspend the access of lawyers Joel Butuyan, Gilbert Andres, and Nicolene Arcaina to the case record pending a decision on their disqualification.

The defense argued that the lawyers’ appointment presents an impediment to representation and a conflict of interest. They claimed that Butuyan and Andres have a professional relationship with Arcaina, having worked with her at CenterLaw Philippines, and were aware of certain undisclosed circumstances involving her.

“To compound matters, the Prosecution has since confirmed that both Joel Butuyan and Gilbert Andres had been given access to [REDACTED] prior to 30 January 2026, when Counsel wrote his email to them,” the filing stated.

The defense also raised concerns about Arcaina’s role as a victim’s case manager and another undisclosed function, calling them “structurally incompatible” with her duties as a lawyer representing victims.

“Whereas the Prosecution is a minister of justice tasked with a truth-seeking function and disclosure duties, victims’ counsel are partisan representatives owing duties only to their clients and are not subject to comparable disclosure obligations,” the filing said.

Duterte’s legal team had previously opposed the appointment of Butuyan and Andres as representatives of the victims of his anti-narcotics campaign during his term as President and Davao City mayor. The ICC Registry had earlier notified the Pre-Trial Chamber I of the appointment of the legal representatives.

The Chamber has scheduled the commencement of the confirmation of charges hearing for February 23, 2026.

The ICC Prosecutor has charged Duterte with 49 incidents of murder and attempted murder related to his anti-drug operations, although reports suggest the actual scale of victimization was significantly higher. Government records indicate around 6,200 drug suspects were killed during the campaign, while human rights organizations estimate the number may reach 30,000 due to unreported killings.