By Lane Afable, News Editor
Nicholas Kaufman has requested the International Criminal Court (ICC) to remove him as lawyer for former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in the crimes against humanity case.
“In light of the aforementioned, in accordance with Regulation 78(1) of the Regulations of the Court, I hereby respectfully request leave to withdraw as counsel for Mr. Rodrigo Roa Duterte in the case of the Prosecutor v. Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” Kaufman said in his request on Friday, May 8.
The lawyer’s request is still subject to the ICC Trial Chamber III’s approval. This is the court that handles Duterte’s three counts of crimes against humanity case.
Kaufman said the defense team visited Duterte on Thursday, May 7, where the former president said “his desire to hire replacement counsel.”
The British-Israeli lawyer represented Duterte from the former president’s arrest on March 11, 2025, until the release of the ICC appeals chamber’s ruling on Duterte’s challenge to jurisdiction in April.
Kaufman said he had already talked to the unnamed counsel, who is ready to immediately represent the former president.
Duterte’s new counsel will also represent him during the case’s status conference on May 27, said Kaufman.
“I am convinced that the continuity and efficacy of Mr Duterte’s representation will remain assured through [the unnamed lawyer], who has a wealth of experience at the International Criminal Court, and the existing defense team,” Kaufman added.
After the appeals chamber decided that the ICC had jurisdiction over Duterte’s cases on April 22, Kaufman told reporters that he would retain his post as chief defense counsel should the charges be confirmed.
A day later, on April 23, the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber confirmed all the charges against Duterte.
Kaufman’s withdrawal request indicated that his engagement with Duterte was for only one year, and the contract had already ended on March 31.
Duterte’s associate counsel, Dov Jacobs, will also leave the defense team.
Jacobs filed a request on Thursday, citing Duterte’s decision “in reorganizing his defense team in anticipation [of] the trial phase of this case.”
The trial chamber approved Jacobs’ withdrawal in a decision on Friday.
