FPRRD lawyers demand dismissal of ICC case

The International Criminal Court (ICC) Pre-Trial Chamber I (PTC I) must dismiss the case against former President Rodrigo Duterte and release him immediately from detention because of the prosecution's failure to launch an investigation into his crimes against humanity charges “within the designated time-period,” defense lawyers argued.

- By RAYMUND AN ONIO

In a 10-page document dated July 2 and a publicly redacted version uploaded on the ICC website, defense counsels Nicholas Kaufman and Dov Jacobs argued that the ICC has no jurisdiction on the former President's case.

“At the end of the day, it is the Prosecution which must shoulder the responsibility for its miscalculated and, ultimately, erroneous decision not to initiate an investigation within the designated time-period,” the document, titled the “Defense Reply to the Prosecution’s Response to the Defense Challenge on Jurisdiction,” said.