Filipino ICC Lawyer Speaks on Duterte’s Lead Counsel Nicholas Kaufman
Nicholas Kaufman, the lead counsel of former Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, wants the International Criminal Court (ICC) to require a national ID or a passport from the alleged victims of Duterte’s drug war.
Former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte is currently detained in the Hague Penitentiary Institution for close to a month now. The ICC has scheduled the confirmation of charges against the former President on September 23. His legal team has been finalized.
Before Vice Pres. Sara Duterte returned to the Philippines from Netherlands, it was confirmed by Duterte’s lead counsel, Nicholas Kaufman, that the ICC legal team of former Pres. Duterte is final and complete. The British-Israeli Lawyer said that the names of the other members of the team will be released soon.
Based on the ICC registry, aside from Kaufman, Duterte’s legal team also includes French lawyer Dov Jacobs. Previously, amid the issue on the number of cases against the former President, the ICC clarified that there is no required number of cases to establish a “crime against humanity” which the former PH President is faced with before the foreign court.
Recently, the camp of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte made a request to the International Criminal Court with regards to the verification of the identities of the alleged victims of the Duterte drug war. Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, lawyer Nicholas Kaufman urged the ICC to insist on the alleged victims to submit their national ID and/or passport with an “up-to-date photograph”.
According to Duterte’s lead counsel, a stricter process will prevent fraud, misrepresentation, and double counting. It earned a reaction from Filipino ICC lawyer Joel Butuyan.
Based on the report, Butuyan stressed that the documents that Kaufman wants the ICC to require from the alleged victims of his client are “badges of wealth and privilege in the Philippines”. According to him, the British-Israeli lawyer allegedly is not aware of the situation in the Philippines.
“For the information of Mr. Kaufman, the victims come from the poorest of the poor who do not have passports, driver’s licenses, SSS, GSIS, or any professional license,” the Filipino ICC lawyer stressed.
Based on the report, Atty. Joel Butuyan also claimed that the statement of lawyer Nicholas Kaufman is a remark “from someone who is totally ignorant” of the kind of people who are alleged victims of his clients.
Neither Kaufman nor the ICC has reacted to the claim of the Filipino ICC lawyer. Previously, an official of the ICC confirmed the possibility of issuing more arrest warrants over the Duterte drug war.