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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Duterte lawyer accuses Marcos of orchestrating ICC case

Duterte lawyer accuses Marcos of orchestrating ICC case

Published May 24, 2025 11:50 am

At A Glance

  • Kaufman appealed to Duterte's supporters to uphold lawful conduct and respect for the ICC process.
President Marcos is the "real prosecutor" in former president Rodrigo Duterte's International Criminal Court (ICC) case, Duterte's international legal counsel claimed, as the embattled ex-leader marks over 70 days in detention.

International Lawyer Nicholas Kaufman and President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. (Photos: X/Malacañang)

In a media interview in The Hague in the Netherlands, Duterte's counsel, Nicholas Kaufman, accused Marcos of weaponizing the ICC process as part of a political campaign.

"The real prosecutor in this case is actually in Manila, sitting in his Palace. He's the person who threw President Duterte over here to The Hague," he said on Friday, May 23.

"He's the person who used the Office of the Prosecutor as a tool in his political campaign, and it won't work," he added.

According to Kaufman, this effort did not work, especially with the result of the midterm elections, where Duterte won as mayor of Davao City. He said the poll results reflect the growing dissatisfaction with those pushing the ICC case.

"The former president won a landslide victory. As far as I'm concerned, that's a finger in the eye to the people who threw him over here," he said.

"That's the real point of the elections. It was a protest vote," he added.

Despite this, Kaufman, while reiterating his intention to fight for Duterte's release, appealed to Duterte's supporters to uphold lawful conduct and respect for the ICC process.

"Support him lawfully, and with all respect for due process, the judges, and the victims, who… have an important role to play," he said.

Kaufman emphasized that respecting victims' rights "has nothing to do with his [Duterte's] innocence" and that the defense will assert its position in court.

Duterte was arrested and turned over to the ICC on March 11 for crimes against humanity. He first appeared before the ICC on March 14 for a pre-trial hearing. His confirmation of charges hearing is set for Sept. 23.

Related Tags

President Marcos Bongbong Marcos President Duterte Rodrigo Duterte Nicholas Kaufman ICC
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