Manila, Philippines – Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed a new lead counsel to represent him in his case before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
According to Vice President Sara Duterte, British-Israeli lawyer Nicholas Kaufman will take the lead in defending Duterte against charges of crimes against humanity.
Kaufman is a prominent lawyer at the ICC and a former prosecutor of the court. He is currently listed as part of the ICC’s Public Counsel. Meanwhile, former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea remains recognized as part of Duterte’s legal team, while former Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque has also submitted documents to be part of the former president’s defense.
The Confirmation of Charges Hearing for Duterte at the ICC has been scheduled for September 23, 2025. The case against him is related to allegations of crimes against humanity during his presidency.
