A judicial document seen by Reuters on Tuesday revealed that judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have decided to exclude Prosecutor Karim Khan from handling the war crimes case against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, citing a “potential conflict of interest.”

Duterte’s defense team had filed a motion in August seeking Khan’s removal, arguing that his previous involvement in correspondence with the court on behalf of victims of Duterte’s “war on drugs” placed him in a position of possible bias.

The Duterte case remains one of the ICC’s most high-profile ongoing investigations, and the court itself has come under growing pressure from Washington, including threats of sanctions, over several of its cases.

'Appearance of bias'

Khan rejected the allegations, urging the panel of judges to dismiss the defense’s motion. He insisted that his earlier role representing the head of the Philippine Commission on Human Rights and several victims did not constitute grounds for disqualification.

However, according to Reuters, the appeals chamber ruled otherwise, concluding in a decision dated October 2 that Khan’s prior involvement “could create an appearance of bias,” leading to his formal exclusion from the case.

Khan has been facing mounting challenges in recent months, including a temporary step-down from his post in May amid an ongoing UN investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.

Former Philippines president detained for war crimes

Former President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte appeared at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the first time on March 14, facing crimes against humanity charges linked to his deadly "war on drugs" and addressing the accusations brought against him.

The 79-year-old former Philippine president was accused of crimes against humanity, specifically murder, for his anti-drug campaign, which rights groups claimed led to tens of thousands of deaths.