Nicholas Kaufman, lead counsel for former President Rodrigo Duterte, has denied accusations made by Duterte’s longtime partner, Honeylet Avanceña, that he barred her from visiting the detained former leader at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
In a viral video posted by vlogger Maharlika, Avanceña expressed deep emotional distress over her limited access to Duterte. She pleaded directly with Kaufman, alleging that she was being kept away from the former president despite his deteriorating emotional health. According to her, Duterte has shown signs of depression and needs the support of his loved ones.
Kaufman, in a statement to NewsWatch Plus, emphasized that visitation matters are beyond his jurisdiction as legal counsel. He clarified that only ICC detention authorities and, in certain cases, the court’s judges determine who may visit detainees. “Contrary to Ms. Avanceña’s claims, visiting rights are not determined by counsel,” he said.
Reassuring the public, Kaufman also stated that Duterte is under proper care and is being closely monitored by those around him daily. As of writing, the ICC has not released any official comment regarding Avanceña’s claims. Duterte remains under investigation by the international tribunal for alleged crimes against humanity committed during the Philippine government’s anti-drug campaign.
