Atty. Nicholas Kaufman said he continues to enjoy the full support of former President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Sara Duterte as legal proceedings before the International Criminal Court (ICC) move forward, rejecting calls for his removal as lead counsel.
In a statement sent to NewsWatch Plus, Kaufman dismissed criticisms directed at his handling of the case, saying some individuals have been attempting to undermine his representation since the beginning of the proceedings.
He said he does not pay attention to what he described as an “unnecessary storm,” adding that critics lack understanding of how the ICC operates and the political context surrounding the case. According to Kaufman, what matters most is that he and his team have the confidence of both the former president and the vice president.
Vice President Sara Duterte later confirmed that her father has no intention of replacing his legal counsel. Speaking during a visit to the ICC detention facility in The Hague, she said Duterte would retain his current lawyers, though she acknowledged that he had issued instructions to the legal team, the details of which she declined to reveal.
Calls for a change in Duterte’s legal representation emerged after the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I rejected the defense’s request for an indefinite suspension of proceedings, which was based on claims of Duterte’s alleged cognitive impairment. The chamber relied on findings from three court-appointed medical experts who concluded that Duterte is fit to take part in the proceedings.
Kaufman said his team plans to seek leave to appeal the ruling, arguing that the court violated Duterte’s right to due process by allegedly denying the defense an opportunity to present evidence or challenge the medical findings.
Former President Duterte has been in ICC custody since March 2025, facing charges of crimes against humanity linked to his administration’s war on drugs.
