MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte will retain his lead defense counsel, Nicholas Kaufman, despite calls from some quarters to replace him following a series of setbacks in his International Criminal Court (ICC) case, Vice President Sara Duterte said on Thursday.
Speaking from The Hague in the Netherlands after visiting her father at the ICC detention facility, Sara Duterte said she personally asked Duterte whether he was satisfied with his legal team amid public concerns over its performance. “I asked former president Rodrigo Duterte… Do you want to change (Kaufman) and are you not satisfied?” she said, quoting her conversation. Duterte replied that he did not want to replace his lawyers but has given them specific instructions on how to proceed, she added.
The lead counsel’s role has drawn scrutiny after months of delays in the legal process. Last week, ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I judges rejected the defense’s request to indefinitely adjourn the confirmation of charges hearing, saying there was insufficient evidence that Duterte suffers from cognitive impairment that would prevent him from participating in the proceedings. The court also leaned on an independent panel of medical experts in making that ruling.
The ICC has now scheduled the confirmation of charges hearing for February 23, months after it was initially postponed at the defense’s request. The hearing will determine whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial over allegations of crimes against humanity linked to Duterte’s controversial war on drugs while in office.
Kaufman, meanwhile, has filed a fresh appeal against the ICC’s decision to keep Duterte in detention. In filings with the Appeals Chamber, he argued that the court erred in dismissing medical evidence presented by the defense that, he says, speaks to Duterte’s health and cognitive state. The pre-trial judges are set to review the matter in a hearing on February 27.
Sara Duterte also thanked supporters of her father who have gathered outside the detention facility, saying Duterte was “doing okay” during her visit.
