Defense Lawyer Nicholas Kaufman (R) speaks with Xavier Jean Keita of the office of public council for defense on March 27, 2014 at the courtroom of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague during Charles Ble Goude's initial appearance. Michael Kooren, AFP/File

Defense Lawyer Nicholas Kaufman (R) speaks with Xavier Jean Keita of the office of public council for defense on March 27, 2014 at the courtroom of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague during Charles Ble Goude's initial appearance. Ble Goude faced International Criminal Court judges for the first time today for his alleged role in a deadly post-election standoff three years ago. The leader of the so-called "Young Patriots", a fanatical group of Gbagbo supporters, is facing four counts of crimes against humanity for his role in the 2010-11 unrest which the UN said left 3,000 people dead. AFP PHOTO / POOL / MICHAEL KOOREN (Photo by MICHAEL KOOREN / POOL / AFP)

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<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1742381795741AFP__20140327__Par7835311__v1__HighRes.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Defense Lawyer Nicholas Kaufman (R) speaks with Xavier Jean Keita of the office of public council for defense on March 27, 2014 at the courtroom of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague during Charles Ble Goude&#x27;s initial appearance. Michael Kooren, AFP/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Defense Lawyer Nicholas Kaufman (R) speaks with Xavier Jean Keita of the office of public council for defense on March 27, 2014 at the courtroom of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague during Charles Ble Goude&#x27;s initial appearance. <em>Michael Kooren, AFP/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) — The International Criminal Court on Wednesday announced that British-Israeli lawyer Nicholas Kaufman has been appointed as the legal counsel of former president Rodrigo Duterte.</p><p>Duterte, who was arrested last March 11 in Manila, filed a signed letter on March 14 nominating Kaufman as his &quot;lead defense counsel in the ICC proceedings.&quot;</p><p>According to documents made public on Wednesday, the ICC registry met with Duterte on Monday, March 17, where he confirmed his appointment of Kaufman as his counsel.</p><p>Kaufman accepted his mandate on the same day.</p><p>Kaufman has 34 years of experience in international law, and previously represented former Congo Vice President Jean Pierre Bemba and former Central African Republic (CAR) minister Maxime Mokom, who were also charged with crimes against humanity before the ICC.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/18/medialdea-roque-will-not-be-part-of-dutertes-legal-team-says-vp-sara-0224">READ: Medialdea, Roque will not be part of Duterte&#x27;s legal team, says VP Sara</a></div><p>In his first interview with Philippine media on Tuesday, Kaufman promised to provide a &quot;<a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/18/nicholas-kaufman-promises-strong-defense-for-duterte-mum-on-other-details-1935">strong defense</a>&quot; for the former president, though he stressed that he is still in the process of completing the team.</p><p>&quot;There was a need, first of all, for a senior counsel to be appointed, a counsel who has experience with matters of the ICC, and it&#x27;s that counsel&#x27;s job to compose the team. It&#x27;s early days yet, no one is entitled to draw any conclusion whatsoever from what has been and what hasn&#x27;t been done with respect to nominations at this point in time,&quot; he said.</p><p>Aside from providing a strong defense, Kaufman also said he hopes to bring Duterte back to the Philippines.</p><p>&quot;I certainly hope so,&quot; he said.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:600px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1742381994520TVP  Card – 17 6.png" style="width:600px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="A signed letter from former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte appointing lawyer Nicholas Kaufman as his legal counsel for his case in the International Criminal Court. Handout/ICC"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">A signed letter from former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte appointing lawyer Nicholas Kaufman as his legal counsel for his case in the International Criminal Court. <em>Handout/ICC</em></span></span></span></div><p>Duterte is facing charges of murder as a crime against humanity in the ICC over his bloody war on drugs during his administration. He made his first appearance in front of the court via videolink last Friday.</p><p>His daughter Vice President Sara Duterte revealed on Tuesday that they have made changes to the former president&#x27;s legal team.</p><p>Former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea and former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque will no longer be part of the defense team, in a departure from her earlier pronouncements.</p><p>The vice president is expected to interview more lawyers who will join former president Duterte&#x27;s legal team. <strong>— report from Zen Hernandez, ABS-CBN News</strong></p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/12/duterte-touches-down-in-the-netherlands-to-face-icc-drug-war-case-2355">READ: Duterte touches down in the Netherlands, now in ICC custody</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/19/chinese-national-arrested-for-posing-as-fixer-for-paocc-1747">READ: Rodrigo Duterte makes first ICC appearance</a></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PBxRMBjPbmY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Wednesday announced that British-Israeli lawyer Nicholas Kaufman has been appointed the legal counsel of former president Rodrigo Duterte.</p>

The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Wednesday announced that British-Israeli lawyer Nicholas Kaufman has been appointed the legal counsel of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

Nicholas Kaufman officially appointed as Duterte's legal counsel | ABS-CBN

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Nicholas Kaufman officially appointed as Duterte's legal counsel

Nicholas Kaufman officially appointed as Duterte's legal counsel

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 19, 2025 07:04 PM PHT

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Updated Mar 19, 2025 07:35 PM PHT

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