British-Israeli Lawyer Nicholas Kaufman, Duterte’s Lawyer, Asks ICC for Former President To Be Released in a Country
DUTERTE’S LAWYER – British-Israeli lawyer Nicholas Kaufman requested the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the interim release of the former President to an undisclosed country.
Former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte remains detained under the ICC for more than three (3) months now since his controversial arrest last March 11. He was arrested by the Philippine authorities upon his arrival from Hong Kong at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
Duterte was arrested by the authorities due to a reported warrant of arrest released by the ICC. He is faced with an allegation of crimes against humanity over his administration’s war on drugs. According to the foreign court, at least 8,500 pages of written evidence will be presented against former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte in his ICC case.
The ICC legal team of the former President is composed of foreign lawyers. Duterte’s lawyer Nicholas Kaufman, a British-Israeli, is the legal counsel.
Kaufman was confident that the ICC allegedly has no jurisdiction in the Philippines. However, previously, the foreign court asserted that there were allegations of crimes that allegedly happened when the country was still under the Rome Statute.
Recently, an update about the case of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte crossed the surface. Based on a report on GMA News, Duterte’s lawyer Nicholas Kaufman asked the ICC for an interim release of the former President. However, the country to which he would be sent was not disclosed.
Duterte’s lawyer submitted a 16-page request to the ICC over the interim release bid of the former President. Based on the report, the undisclosed country has agreed to receive the former Philippine President. It is also stated in the said request that the prosecution allegedly confirmed its non-opposition to the ICC interim release bid of the former President.
“Mr. Duterte does not meet any of the conditions to warrant further pre-trial detention as provided in Article 58(1)(b). He does not pose an objective risk of flight, nor is his arrest necessary to ensure the integrity of the investigations or to preclude the continued commission of crimes. He must, as a result, be immediately released from ICC custody,” Duterte’s lawyer wrote in the request.
Based on the report, it is stated in the request for Duterte’s ICC interim release that discussions on the temporary release of the former President while the legal proceedings are ongoing started between Duterte’s lawyer and the ICC chief prosecutor immediately after his initial appearance. The former President made his initial appearance before the ICC last March 14 through a video call from detention as he was deemed “visibly fatigued”.
Former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte was recently visited by his ex-wife, Elizabeth Zimmerman, and his children, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte and Davao Mayor Baste Duterte after the 2025 Midterm Elections. Sen. Imee Marcos who met with Duterte’s ICC lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman, also flew to The Hague.