Forum on Victim Participation and Reparation in ICC Proceedings

On 15 May 2025, the UP Law Center Institute of Human Rights (UP IHR), in partnership with the Center for International Law (CenterLaw), hosted the “Forum on Victim Participation and Reparation in the Pursuit of Justice in International Criminal Proceedings.” The event focused on how victims can engage in proceedings before the International Criminal Court (ICC), with particular emphasis on the Philippine government’s war on drugs and the case of The Prosecutor v. Rodrigo Roa Duterte. More than 80 participants attended the morning session, including law students, legal researchers, practitioners, professors, and representatives from civil society organizations.

Professor Elizabeth H. Aguiling-Pangalangan, Director of UP IHR and Philippine Representative to the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC), opened the forum by emphasizing the importance of victim participation in ICC proceedings. She acknowledged the process can be daunting, especially for those from vulnerable and marginalized communities. She underscored the responsibility of human rights advocates to ensure a genuine link between victims and the crimes committed against them or their families and to make sure that only legitimate victims are accredited.

Atty. Gilbert T. Andres, Executive Director of CenterLaw and one of only five ICC-accredited Filipino lawyers, presented a comparative overview of victim participation in domestic and international legal systems. He discussed the Nuremberg Principles, emphasizing that a lack of punishment under domestic law does not absolve individuals from responsibility under international law, among others.

Atty. Sabrina Ochoa, a Fellow at CenterLaw, outlined the procedural and evidentiary requirements for victim participation before the ICC. She explained the step-by-step process of completing the ICC Victim Application Form and noted that the final decision on who may participate lies with the ICC judges.

Atty. Joel R. Butuyan, Chairperson of CenterLaw, and also an ICC-accredited lawyer, shared the legal and practical challenges of collecting victim testimonies for ICC proceedings. These include issues such as erroneous death certificates, complications in common-law relationships between direct and indirect victims, and the limited reparations available. He concluded the forum by stressing the importance of discussions like this in supporting victims’ pursuit of justice, particularly in the context of the war on drugs.

Atty. James Gregory A. Villasis, UP IHR’s University Researcher, moderated the open forum.

In the afternoon session, around 30 participants joined a practical workshop where they assisted in completing sample ICC Victim Application Forms. The afternoon workshop was moderated by Atty. Ernelyn “Joy” Santos and Atty. Philip Ingente of the CenterLaw and Atty. Raymond Marvic C. Baguilat, Head Legal Officer of the UP IHR. Research Assistants Keanne Abalos, Mario Quimbo, and Mayumi Paras facilitated the event.