Rody camp seeks 'status conference' with ICC judges

Citing delays in the process, the defense team of former president Rodrigo Duterte has requested for a "status conference" with pre-trial judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

- By JANVIC MATEO — With Jose Rodel Clapano, Marc Jayson Cayabyab

In a request dated July 14, defense counsel Nicholas Kaufman said the purpose of the status conference "would be to determine the most efficient way to proceed" with certain matters involving the proceedings.

He recommended that the status conference take place before the ICC's summer recess on July 25.

The request was heavily redacted, but some passages indicated delays over disclosure of information that supposedly affected the "advancement of the Defense's arguments."

In an earlier directive, the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I gave the defense until July 24 to disclose information in relation to Duterte's confirmation of charges hearing on Sept. 23.

But in his request, Kaufman indicated that disclosure of some information "is highly unlikely, if not impossible."

Still, he said "it remains feasible to maintain the current schedule for the hearing on the confirmation of charges."