MANILA – British-Israeli lawyer Nicholas Kaufman expressed confidence that former President Rodrigo Duterte will be acquitted from the charge of crimes against humanity filed against him before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Interviewed by Philippine-based media at The Hague in the Netherlands, Kaufman has committed to give the former Chief Executive the “strongest defense” for him to be able to return to the Philippines as quickly as possible.
“I am very confident about the strongest defense and I’m very confident [Duterte would] be acquitted indeed, even at the earliest stage,” said Kaufmann, who was formally appointed as part of Duterte’s defense team on Tuesday.
“It is my job and I’m privileged to carry this job out to compose the team for him. That would obviously be done in complete consultation with him and all those around him,” he added.
Duterte is currently in ICC’s custody in The Hague after Philippine authorities served the warrant of arrest issued by the ICC upon his arrival in the country on March 11.
According to the arrest warrant, the ICC pre-trial chamber found reasonable grounds to believe he was “individually responsible for the crimes against humanity of murder” in connection with the killings blamed on his war on drugs.
Meanwhile, Duterte’s daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, told the media on Tuesday (Wednesday in the Philippines) that she is currently in talks with another lawyer that will join the former President’s legal team.
Duterte-Carpio added that former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque is not part of the team as he is still focused on his asylum, while Salvador Medialdea will withdraw as Duterte’s legal counsel once the team is already complete.
“Hindi pa kasi na-establish yung basis ng pag-stay niya (Roque) rito sa Netherlands, and we don’t want complications. Gusto namin nakatutok doon sa kaso niya,” Duterte-Carpio said./PN
