THE LEAD lawyer of former President Rodrigo Duterte announced Friday that his client’s core defense team for International Criminal Court (ICC) proceedings has been finalized as he vowed to fight for his liberty until the end.
Lawyer Nicholas Kaufman also confirmed that former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque is not part of it.
Asked about his commitment to Duterte’s legal defense, Kaufman affirmed, “I will fight for Mr. Duterte until the end.”
“Clients decide to change their lawyers from time to time. That happens in every case, and there’s no difference between the International Criminal Court or any other court in the world. So, I’m here to stay. I will fight for Mr. Duterte until the end,” Atty. Kaufman told the media in an interview at The Hague, Netherlands, on Friday, April 4, 2025.
Kaufman, the former president’s British-Israeli lawyer, stated, “The core team is now fully completed… [The names] should be released in a public filing, yes, it should be today (Friday) or maybe Monday.”
When asked about the possibility of Roque joining the defense team, Kaufman replied, “Harry is seeking political asylum in The Netherlands, and that would be wholly incompatible with employment at the Court.”
“We wish him all the best in his future endeavors,” he added.
The defense team is expected to file a request for Duterte’s interim release, a process Kaufman described as “a right which every suspect enjoys, including former President Duterte”.
“In due course, we will be making a request for interim release,” he said, noting that certain guarantees and conditions must be met first.
