MANILA (Bloomberg): Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte hired a new lead counsel as he heads for a full-blown trial on alleged crimes against humanity charges before the International Criminal Court.
Defense lawyer Nicholas Kaufman said his engagement as Duterte’s counsel was terminated on March 31, according to an ICC court filing on Friday. Duterte plans to hire a replacement counsel, whose name was redacted in the document.
"I hereby respectfully request leave to withdraw as counsel for Duterte,” Kaufman said. The efficacy and continuity of Duterte’s representation is assured through the new lawyer, who has a wealth of experience at the ICC, he added.
The 81-year-old Duterte has been detained in an ICC facility in The Hague since March last year on murder charges related to his administration’s war on narcotics that killed thousands of suspected drug dealers and users.
Duterte was president from 2016 to 2022 and is the father of Vice President Sara Duterte. Her office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The ICC is the world’s first permanent, international criminal court. It was established in 2002 by a treaty called the Rome Statute to hold accountable those who commit acts of mass inhumanity.
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