Palace backs ICC warning vs public comments about Rodrigo Duterte’s case

MANILA, Philippines — Palace Press Officer Claire Castro on Thursday agreed with the warning issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) Trial Chamber III against making public comments to the media about the proceedings or decisions in the case involving former President Rodrigo Duterte.

ICC Trial Chamber III Presiding Judge Joanna Korner on Tuesday raised concerns over statements made by counsel to the media, particularly those that had “provoked suppliers” of what she described as “undoubtedly fake news.”

READ: ICC Trial Chamber warns parties in Duterte case over media comments

“The ICC’s statement was significant because we have seen that we are not the only ones noticing and observing the spread of fake news. Much of it has indeed come from the Duterte camp, especially regarding the case before the ICC,” said Castro at a briefing.

Korner acknowledged that the media’s earlier reporting “was not assisted” by comments made by Duterte’s previous lead counsel, Nicholas Kaufman, citing a previous warning issued by the ICC pre-trial chamber to the lawyer that he had a “professional duty to be respectful and courteous to the chamber.”

Castro echoed the court’s concerns, noting that she had previously refuted Kaufman’s statements against the administration.

“It was only right that Atty. Kaufman was called out because his statements were baseless and consisted mainly of attacks against the government, which did not help his client’s defense at all. We can see that Atty. Kaufman’s previous statements were driven more by politics than by legal arguments,” the Palace official said.

The ICC Trial Chamber III granted Kaufman’s withdrawal as counsel for Duterte in May, citing his client’s desire to hire new counsel.

He was replaced by British lawyer Peter Haynes in the same month. Haynes, who has over three decades of law practice, previously served as president of the International Criminal Court Bar Association, an independent group representing the interests of counsel and support personnel at the Hague-based tribunal. /mr