On Tuesday, the Philippine government’s main office, Malacañang, shared a message for the lawyer defending former President Rodrigo Duterte at the International Criminal Court (ICC): “We wish him all the luck.”
This lawyer is Atty. Nicholas Kaufman, and he’s representing Duterte, who is now facing very serious charges at the ICC. These charges are connected to the extrajudicial killings (EJKs) — or killings outside the law — that happened during Duterte’s time as president, especially during his war on drugs.
👩⚖️ Government Spokesperson Explains
Atty. Claire Castro, a spokesperson for the Palace (also called Undersecretary), spoke at a press briefing. When reporters asked her what she thought about Kaufman saying there might be “political manipulation” in Duterte’s case, she said:
“We understand his opinion, especially since he’s defending someone who has already admitted to some of the killings. That’s going to make it harder for him.”
Even with these admissions, Atty. Castro reminded everyone:
“We must remember — in the law, everyone is considered innocent until proven guilty.”
She also said that all lawyers want to win cases for their clients, and Kaufman is just doing his job.
⚖️ Lawyer Must Look at Both Sides
Atty. Castro also pointed out that if Kaufman believes politics might be used unfairly in this case, then he should also look into who exactly is doing the manipulating.
She added that Kaufman should also listen to the voices of the families of the victims of EJKs, who, according to another lawyer, Atty. Kristina Conti, are now being threatened or harassed by some of Duterte’s supporters.
👥 Duterte Gets Another Lawyer
The ICC also revealed that another lawyer has joined Duterte’s defense team. His name is Atty. Dov Jacobs, and he will serve as associate counsel, or someone who helps the main lawyer, Kaufman.
This was confirmed in an official document from the ICC, signed on April 7.
✈️ Duterte Now in The Hague
Former President Duterte surrendered to the ICC on March 11, and he flew to the Netherlands — where the ICC is located — the next day.
He is now being held in The Hague, where the court will examine the charges of crimes against humanity linked to the killings during his time in office.
