CEBUANO lawyer Rameses “Ram” Victorius Gatchalian Villagonzalo has been admitted to the International Criminal Court (ICC) List of Counsel, becoming the first from Cebu and the entire Visayas region, and only the sixth Filipino to be granted the accreditation.
In an interview with SunStar Cebu on Friday, November 28, 2025, Villagonzalo said he was grateful for the milestone, which came after nearly eight months of waiting for the results.
“It took almost eight months. When I received the email on November 27, I was speechless for a few minutes,” he said.
According to Villagonzalo, the application involved multiple stages. After submitting his documents on April 4, he followed up with the ICC and was informed that he had passed the initial evaluation.
This was followed by a second round of assessment, which he also cleared.
He said he kept a “small emotional reservation” in case of denial, but the confirmation finally arrived this week.
Villagonzalo said he is committed to upholding justice and fairness in any assignment that may be given to him by the ICC.
“My commitment is to serve with integrity and ethics. Justice, integrity, and fairness will always guide me,” he said.
He explained that the responsibilities of an ICC-accredited counsel vary depending on the needs of the court.
The ICC may summon members of the List of Counsel to serve in various capacities, such as special defense counsel, additional prosecution support, or as part of other teams assisting the Office of the Prosecutor.
“They have the power to summon any accredited counsel. If called to serve, we are obligated under that undertaking,” he said.
Villagonzalo said he is unsure if other Filipino lawyers are currently applying for ICC accreditation but noted that the process is rigorous and lengthy.
The ICC List of Counsel is composed of qualified lawyers from different jurisdictions who may be appointed to represent suspects, accused persons, or victims in proceedings before the Court. (CAV)