Former President Rodrigo Duterte has formally requested the International Criminal Court (ICC) to disqualify chief prosecutor Karim Khan from his case, citing a conflict of interest.
Duterte’s legal team alleges Khan previously represented victims of Duterte’s controversial drug war before becoming ICC prosecutor, raising concerns over impartiality.
The defense claims Khan failed to disclose this prior involvement and did not seek a waiver from his former clients before overseeing the investigation.
The request comes ahead of a September 23 hearing that will decide whether Duterte will face trial for alleged crimes against humanity related to extrajudicial killings during his presidency.
Meanwhile, Khan is on self-imposed leave due to unrelated sexual misconduct allegations.
Source: PhilNews24 | August 9, 2025
