ICC Appoints Judges for Former Philippine President Duterte's Trial

The ICC pre-trial chamber confirmed charges against him on April 23, 2026, for three counts of crimes against humanity involving murder. These charges cover 49 incidents of killings and 78 victims related to his anti-drug campaign and associated activities.

In a decision dated April 24, 2026, the ICC Presidency appointed Judge Joanna Korner, Judge Keebong Paek, and Judge Nicolas Guillou to the chamber.

Korner, from the United Kingdom, serves a term from March 11, 2021, to March 10, 2030, in the Trial Division. She has handled cases including The Prosecutor v. Alfred Yekatom and Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona from the Central African Republic and The Prosecutor v.

Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman from Sudan. Korner has 45 years of experience in criminal law, having served as a judge in the Crown Court of England and Wales and as a senior prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

She also worked as a senior legal adviser in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2004 to 2005. Korner holds a law degree from the Inns of Court School of Law and was named a Companion of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George for services to international law.

Paek, from South Korea, serves a term from March 11, 2024, to March 10, 2033, in the Trial Division. He has handled cases such as The Prosecutor v. Abdallah Banda Abakaer Nourain from Sudan, The Prosecutor v. Alfred Yekatom and Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona from the Central African Republic, The Prosecutor v.

Mahamat Said Abdel Kani from the Central African Republic, and The Prosecutor v. Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud from Mali. Paek served as a prosecutor in Korea and held positions in the Ministry of Justice, including handling ICC-related matters.

He worked at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and later in private practice focusing on extradition and cross-border asset recovery. Paek earned a law degree from Seoul National University, a master’s from Columbia Law School, and a PhD from Hanyang University.

Guillou, from France, serves a term from March 11, 2024, to March 10, 2033, in the Trial Division. He has handled cases including the Situation in the State of Palestine, The Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, The Prosecutor v.

Thomas Lubanga Dyilo from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, The Prosecutor v. Bosco Ntaganda from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, The Prosecutor v. Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi from Mali, The Prosecutor v. Dominic Ongwen from Uganda, The Prosecutor v.

Abdallah Banda Abakaer Nourain from Sudan, and The Prosecutor v. Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman from Sudan. Guillou began his career as an investigative judge and served as a pre-trial judge at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers. He worked at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and as a liaison prosecutor at the US Department of Justice.

Guillou graduated from the French National School for the Judiciary and holds a master’s in International and European Criminal Law from Sorbonne University.