British lawyer tapped as Duterte’s lead counsel in ICC case

MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte appointed a British lawyer to be his lead counsel before the International Criminal Court (ICC), his daughter and Vice President Sara Duterte confirmed.

The former president made his first appearance before the international tribunal in The Hague, The Netherlands via video link on Friday evening (Manila time).

“The president already appointed Nicholas Kaufman as his lawyer,” Vice President Duterte said in a press conference following her father’s pre-trial hearing.

Kaufman is among the roster of counsel before the ICC.

“We had a meeting with him yesterday. Then, we will have a meeting in person when he arrives this week,” the vice president said.

The ICC set Duterte’s confirmation of charges hearing for September 23, 2025. 

The former president faces charges of crimes against humanity allegedly committed in the Philippines between November 1, 2011 and March 16, 2019 in the context of his administration’s war on drugs.

His anti-narcotics campaign left at least 6,000 dead, according to official government data.

Human rights watchdogs, however, estimate the death toll to be between 12,000 and 30,000 from 2016 to 2019.

Duterte was arrested after arriving in Manila from Hong Kong on Tuesday. He was flown to The Hague, The Netherlands on the same day.