THE HAGUE — The International Criminal Court (ICC) Pre-Trial Chamber I has denied former President Rodrigo Duterte’s request to revoke the appointment of lawyers representing the victims in the crimes against humanity case against him.

In a nine-page public redacted decision, the chamber said the defense failed to demonstrate any conflict of interest involving lawyers Joel Butuyan and Gilbert Andres.

“The Defense’s alternative arguments do not demonstrate the existence of a conflict of interest regarding Mr. Butuyan and Mr. Andres within the meaning of article 16 of the Code,” the chamber ruled.

Duterte’s legal team had also requested the suspension of access to the case records for Butuyan, Andres, and Nicolene Arcaina, who joined as a case manager for the victims’ representatives. The defense argued that the lawyers’ professional ties to Arcaina at CenterLaw Philippines created an impediment to proper representation.

The ICC’s decision allows the appointed lawyers to continue representing victims in the proceedings.