Inilabas na ng plenary of judges ng International Criminal Court (ICC) ang naging batayan nila sa pagdesisyon na ibasura ang disqualification bid ng kampo ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte laban sa dalawang ICC judge ng Pre-Trial Chamber I na sina Judge Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou at Judge María del Socorro Flores Liera.
“The plenary of judges, acting unanimously, considers that no actual nor reasonable apprehension of bias arises in respect of Judges Alapini-Gansou and Flores,” saad ng ICC plenary of judges.
Matatandaan na noong Hunyo 9 ay hindi pumayag ang ICC plenary sa hiling ng defense team ni Duterte na i-disqualify ang dalawang hukom na nakatakdang magpasya hinggil sa isyu ng hurisdiksyon sa kasong crimes against humanity na kinakaharap ng dating pangulo.
Kasunod nito, sa dokumento na galing sa ICC plenary na may petsang Hulyo 3 ay nakalagay na wala umanong nakita ang plenaryo na “bias” sa dalawang hukom at iginiit na ginawa ng dalawa ang lahat ng mga tungkulin nila alinsunod sa Rome Statute.
“The judges consider that the proposition of the Applicant is incorrect and legally untenable, and has the potential to cause delay,” tugon ng plenaryo hinggil sa argumento ng defense team na ang pagiging patas umano ng parehong hukom ay maaaring pagdudahan dahil “they have already ruled on exactly the same issue in exactly the same situational context.”
“Accordingly, the plenary of judges, acting unanimously, considers that the Rome Statute recognises that Judges Alapini-Gansou and Flores may exercise the functions assigned to them …and finds that no appearance of bias or lack of impartiality arise from the ordinary exercise by the judges,” dagdag pa nila.
Ulat ni Jilliane Libunao