US EditionDuterte lawyer: 'compelling' grounds to throw case out
- On Friday, March 14, 2025, Rodrigo Duterte, 80, faced the International Criminal Court's Pre-Trial Chamber I at 14:00 hours regarding charges of crimes against humanity for murder related to his 'war on drugs'.
- The ICC case stems from Duterte's 'war on drugs,' which resulted in the deaths of thousands of mostly poor men, many allegedly without proof of their involvement with drugs, and which the ICC prosecutor alleges was a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population.
- Duterte's lawyer, British-Israeli 56-year-old Nicholas Kaufman, is arguing to have the case thrown out before trial, contending that the ICC lacks jurisdiction because the Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019, though the alleged crimes occurred between November 1, 2011, and March 16, 2019, while the Philippines was still a member.
- Kaufman stated, "Coming back to the jurisdictional point, obviously you don't need to be the dean of a law faculty to realise that that's going to be a huge issue at pre-trial" and "We hope to persuade the judges pre-trial that it cannot exercise its jurisdiction over the case," expressing concern that the ICC, facing pressures and potentially "starved of cases," might be reluctant to dismiss such a high-profile case.
- Duterte's arrest on March 11 and subsequent handover to the ICC has been criticized as a violation of Philippines law and a 'political hit job,' while families of victims seek justice through the ICC, and a confirmation of charges hearing is scheduled for September 23.
54 Articles
54 Articles
Beyond numbers: In Duterte’s case, it's about proving 'widespread, systematic' attack — ICC lawyer
The prosecution only needs to present "emblematic" cases that meet the criteria for crimes against humanity of murder, without the need to list all victims of Duterte's drug war, according to ICC-accredited lawyer Gilbert Andres.
The Manila Times
sgtalk.netDuterte lawyer sees case being thrown out
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Former president Rodrigo Duterte's lead lawyer said Sunday there was a "compelling" argument to throw out the International Criminal Court (ICC) case against his client before it even comes to trial. Nicholas Kaufman told Agence France-Presse (AFP) in an interview in The Hague he hoped to stop the case before the ICC confirms the charges against Duterte by arguing the court cannot exercise its jurisdiction. He said the P…
Duterte's lead lawyer: 'Compelling' grounds to throw ICC case out
THE HAGUE — Rodrigo Duterte’s lead lawyer said Sunday there was a “compelling” argument to throw out the International Criminal Court case against the former Philippine president before it even comes to trial. Nicholas Kaufman told AFP in an interview in The Hague he hoped to stop the case before the ICC confirms the charges
Duterte lawyer calls ICC case ‘political hit job’, argues court lacks jurisdiction
THE HAGUE, March 31 — Rodrigo Duterte’s lead lawyer said yesterday there was a “compelling” argument to throw out the International Criminal Court case against the former Philippines president before it even comes to trial. Nicholas Kaufman told AFP in an interview in The Hague he hoped to stop the case before the ICC confirms the charges against Duterte by arguing the court cannot exercise its jurisdiction. He said the Philippines’ withdrawal f…
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