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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider VP Sara names lead counsel in her father's ICC trial

VP Sara names lead counsel in her father's ICC trial

Published Mar 14, 2025 11:05 pm

Vice President Sara Duterte named her father’s, former president Rodrigo Duterte, lead counsel in facing the International Criminal Court (ICC) trial for crimes against humanity of murder.

 

PRRD_ICC.jpeg
Former president Rodrigo Duterte is now under the custody of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands. (Photos from AP, Veronica Duterte)

 

The Vice President faced reporters and supporters after the initial hearing of the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber, which her father attended virtually.
 

She named Nicholas Kaufman, a member of the British Bar, as lead counsel.
 

Reports said that Kaufman was also listed in the ICC’s public list of counsels.
 

“We have already a lead counsel. We had a meeting with him yesterday. And then we will have a meeting in person when he arrives,” the Vice President said.
 

Former presidential spokesman Harry Roque, who has a standing arrest order from Congress for contempt, resurfaced at The Hague with the younger Duterte and Senator Robin Padilla.
 

Aside from Kaufman, Roque will form the elder Duterte’s legal team, along with former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea.
 

Next hearing
 

The ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber set on Sept. 23 the start of the confirmation of charges.
 

This was after the initial hearing informed the former president of the charges against him and his rights under the Rome Statute.
 

“I haven’t discussed arrangements with next of kin, relatives here. I will discuss with them tonight,” the Vice President, who shared that her father asked her to go back to the Philippines, said.
 

“I will not leave until a relative comes to make sure that there is a next of kin na papalit (who will replace me),” she added.
 

During the initial hearing, the Chamber said the elder Duterte was charged as an indirect co-perpetrator for the murder of at least 19 people allegedly drug pushers, or thieves, killed by members of the Davao Death Squad in various locations in or around Davao City between 2011 and 2016.
 

He is also facing charges of murder of at least 24 persons allegedly drug pusher, thieves, or drug users killed by or under the supervision of the police and sometimes with the assistance of persons who were not part of law enforcement at various locations in the Philippines between 2016 and 2019.
 

Message to supporters
 

The Vice President also delivered a message from her father, who thanked their supporters.
 

"Sabihin mo sa kanila, ‘Relax lang, may hangganan ang lahat (Tell them, ‘Just relax, everything has its end’),” she said.
 

"There will be a day of reckoning for all."
 

The former president was flown to The Hague via a chartered flight after his arrest on March 11 under an ICC warrant on crimes against humanity of murder.
 

He will be tried before the ICC for his bloody war on drugs campaign that killed thousands of mostly poor Filipinos.
 

Although the Philippines officially withdrew from the Rome Statute in March 2019 during the Duterte administration, it maintains jurisdiction on all drug war crimes until that period.

Related Tags

International Criminal Court (ICC) VP Sara Duterte International Criminal Court Rodrigo Duterte
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