Get to know the judges of the ICC Trial Chamber handling Rodrigo Duterte's case
The Presidency of the International Criminal Court has formed the Trial Chamber that will oversee the case involving former President Rodrigo Duterte.
This came after the pre-trial judges unanimously confirmed on April 23 all three counts of murder lodged against Duterte as crimes against humanity, saying they constitute “serious violations committed as part of a large-scale attack against any civilian population.”
This moves the case to trial.
"Promptly after it is constituted, the Trial Chamber will hold status conferences, confer with the parties and participants in order to set the date of the commencement of the trial and adopt the procedures necessary to facilitate the fair and expeditious conduct of the proceedings," the tribunal said.
"The Chamber will rule on several preliminary issues, including the timing and the manner of disclosure of evidence," it added.
Get to know the judges who will oversee Duterte's case.
Judge Joanna Korner
Hailing from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Judge Korner joined the ICC in September 2021 and is expected to finish her term in March 2030.
Before joining the tribunal, Korner was a judge of the Crown Court of England and Wales and served as a senior prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia for a total of eight years.
She has been a Queen’s Counsel since 1993 and has represented both the prosecution and defense in numerous cases before the courts of England and Wales.
Korner was also the Senior Legal Adviser to the Chief Prosecutor of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the establishment of a War Crimes Section in the country's State Prosecutor's Office.
She studied law at the Inns of Court School of Law. In 2004, she was appointed a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (CMG) in recognition of her contributions to international law.
Some of the notable cases she tried were Prosecutor v. Mićo Stanišić and Stojan Župljanin, Prosecutor v. Radoslav Brđjanin and Momir Talić, and Prosecutor v. Milomir Stakić.
Judge Keebong Paek
Paek studied law at Seoul National University. He obtained an LLM from Columbia Law School and a PhD from Hanyang University.
He started as a Public Prosecutor for the Republic of Korea in 1992. He also served as a Deputy Director and later as a Director at the Ministry of Justice, where he was tasked with managing ICC-related matters, drafting the implementation bill for Korea's ratification of the Rome Statute, and representing the country at ICC Preparatory Commission sessions and the Kampala Review Conference.
Outside Korea, Paek also worked at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, where he played a key role in assisting Member States with the implementation of the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, particularly by enhancing law enforcement capabilities.
Following a 22-year career as a prosecutor, Paek moved into private practice in 2014, joining Kim & Chang as an attorney. He focused on law enforcement and regulatory compliance, particularly in areas such as white-collar crime, extradition, mutual legal assistance, and cross-border asset recovery. He also played a key role in helping companies develop compliance systems and carry out internal investigations.
He officially joined the ICC in March 2024.
Judge Nicolas Guillou
Guillou, who hails from France, joined the ICC in March 2024. He earned a Master’s degree in International and European Criminal Law from Sorbonne University.
He started his career as an investigative judge. Before he was elected Judge of the tribunal, he worked as a Pre-Trial Judge at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers for four years.
From 2015 to 2019, he was Chef de Cabinet to the President of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, and earlier, from 2012 to 2015, he worked as a Liaison Prosecutor at the US Department of Justice, facilitating judicial cooperation in both criminal and civil cases.
Between 2006 and 2012, Judge Guillou held various roles within the French Ministry of Justice, including Deputy Head of the Commercial Law Section, Adviser on Criminal Affairs to the Minister, and Diplomatic Adviser.
He also regularly teaches and oversees training programs for judges on international justice at the French National School for the Judiciary.
What's next?
After the Trial Chamber is formed, it will hold status conferences with the prosecution and defense teams.
Among the details to be ironed out with the case participants is the date for the commencement of the trial. From the conferences, the chamber will also determine which procedures will allow a fair and efficient trial. Additionally, the chamber will decide on the timing and manner of disclosure of evidence.
Article 63 of the Rome Statute dictates accused persons have to be present in the courtroom during their trial.
Duterte previously waived his right to attend his confirmation of charges hearing in February. Duterte was also absent from the pre-trial court hearing on April 22 for the defense's appeal on jurisdiction.
The last time Duterte was seen in the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber was on March 14, 2025, two days after he was arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. He appeared via video link from his detention cell at The Hague.
