The International Criminal Court (ICC) rejected former president Rodrigo Duterte's attempt to disqualify two pre-trial judges, affirming their impartiality despite his claims.

In a decision dated July 3, the plenary of judges said it found “no actual nor reasonable apprehension of bias arises in respect of” Judges Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou and María del Socorro Flores Liera.

“The plenary of judges considers that the judges acted, at all times, in accordance with the judicial duties assigned to them under the [Rome] Statute,” the order signed by ICC President, Judge Tomoko Akane read.

In an 11-page corrigendum dated May 12, the Duterte camp requested the ICC to disqualify the two judges adjudicating on the issue of jurisdiction.

Duterte’s defense team had claimed that the two judges had pre-judged the case against Duterte, as they had participated in earlier proceedings before the former president’s arrest, which determined whether the ICC would continue to have jurisdiction following the order to withdraw the Philippines from the Rome Statute in March 2019.

“The Defence’s request to disqualify the Judges will ensure the autonomy and irreproachability of the judges as well as the efficient conduct of the proceedings by engendering a minimum degree of disturbance to the Chamber’s current composition,” Duterte’s lawyers said.

The ICC had ruled that it retained jurisdiction for alleged crimes that occurred during Duterte’s drug war since the preliminary examination commenced before the country’s withdrawal.

The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber 1 previously denied the Duterte camp’s appeal to excuse Alapini-Gansou and Flores Liera.

Duterte, turned over to the ICC on March 12, is facing charges of crimes against humanity.

The Prosecutor recently submitted the 11th batch of evidence against Duterte, containing over 1,000 items.