The ICC judges who signed the arrest warrant against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. Photo from ICC’s website

MANILA — Three female judges of the International Criminal Court signed the warrant of arrest against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

Police served the arrest warrant at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport as Duterte returned to the country after meeting with Filipino supporters in Hong Kong Tuesday morning.

The ICC has been investigating Duterte for thousands of alleged state-sanctioned killings under his war on drugs that could amount to a crime against humanity. 

The probe included the supposed Davao Death Squad during his tenure as Davao City mayor.

The warrant of arrest was signed by Judge Iulia Antoanella Motoc, presiding judge; Judge Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini-Gansou; and Judge Maria del Socorro Flores Liera.

JUDGE IULIA ANTOANELLA MOTOC

Judge Iulia Motoc. Photo from ICC’s website 

Judge Iulia Motoc is the presiding judge of the Pre-Trial Chamber I of the situation in the Republic of the Philippines.

According to her profile in the official website of the ICC, Judge Motoc holds a term of office from March 11 2024 to March 10, 2033. Prior to joining the ICC, she was a judge at the European Court of Human Rights and a Professor of International Law.

Judge Motoc also served as a UN Special Rapporteur for the Democratic Republic of Congo, reporting crimes against humanity and war crimes. She also served as judge at the Constitutional Court of Romania from 2010 to 2013, where she dealth with “serious and complex cases including corruption and sexual violence, genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.”

Judge Motoc also has extensive experience with the United Nations and various legal systems. She was a member and vice president of the UN Human Rights Committee, and was a member and President of the UN Sub-Commission on Promotion and Protection of Human Rights. Judge Motoc was also UN Special Rapporteur on Genetics and Human Rights, as well as a member of the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights and a Member of the Management Board.  

Judge Motoc began teaching at the the University of Bucharest in 1995 and became full Professor in 2002. Her research interests encompass use of force, theory of international law, human rights and transitional justice. She has been a visiting professor at various institutions, and she is the author of more than 80 publications.

Hailing from Romania, Judge Motoc holds an LLB from the University of Bucharest (1989) a Master’s degree (1991) and a PhD in International Law from the University Paul Cezanne, Aix-Marseille III (1996). She obtained the habilitation in law from Paris XI, Jean Monnet (1998). Judge Motoc has a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Bucharest (1999) and was a Senior Fellow at the NYU School of Law (2003-2004) and Yale School of Law (2004-2007). 

JUDGE REINE ALAPINI-GANSOU

Judge Reine Alapini-Gansou. Photo from ICC’s website

Judge Reine Alapini-Gansou has been an ICC judge since 2018. Prior to joining the ICC, she spent 12 years at the he African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR), as Chair of the Commission from 2009 to 2012, and as Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders in Africa from 2005 to 2009, and again from 2012 to 2017.

Judge Alapini-Gansou has also been a member of several United Nations commissions of inquiries on human rights violations, and chaired the joint working group on special procedures of the United Nations and the African Commission on human and people's rights. She was also appointed as judge at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2011.

She has been a professor at the University of Abomey - Calavi, in Benin. She holds a joint post-graduate degree (DEA) from the Universities of Maastricht (Netherlands), Lomé (Togo) and Bhutan as well as a university degree in Common Law from the University of Lyon 3 (France). She also obtained a Master's Degree in Business Law and Judicial Careers from the National University of Benin.

Judge Alapini-Gansou was admitted to the Benin Bar in 1986.

JUDGE SOCORRO FLORES LIERA


Judge Socorro Flores Liera. Photo from ICC’s website 

Hailing from Mexico, Judge Socorro Flores Liera became an ICC judge in March 11, 2021, and has a term of nine years until March 2030. Prior to joining the ICC, she had distinguished career in Mexico's Foreign Service, holding a number of senior posts, most recently as the Permanent Representative of Mexico to the Office of the United Nations and other International Organizations based in Geneva from 2017 to 2021. Among other functions, she served as Vice-President of the Human Rights Council for the year 2020.

Judge Flores Liera was closely involved in the process leading to the creation of the ICC since 1995, notably including the negotiations that led to the Rome Statute and to the adoption of the Elements of Crimes and Rules of Procedure and Evidence. She then served as the first Head of the Court's Liaison Office at the United Nations in New York, coordinating contacts between the two organizations.

Judge Flores Liera studied law at the Universidad Iberoamericana and the Faculty of Law of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, specializing in public international law. She has published several works in the area of international criminal law, international cooperation and climate change, among others. She is a member of the Mexican Branch of the International Law Association.

LOOK: ICC arrest warrant for Rodrigo Duterte

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