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Combination photo shows Palace Press Officer Claire Castro, former president Rodrigio Duterte and his defense counsel Nicholas Kaufman.
Presidential Communications Office, The STAR / Jesse Bustos and International Criminal Court / Flickr
MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang said the lead defense counsel of former president Rodrigo Duterte should focus on the legal work for his client before the International Criminal Court instead of dwelling on Philippine politics, after the lawyer accused the Marcos administration of allegedly helping the prosecution.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said British-Israeli lawyer Nicholas Kaufman appeared to be losing focus on the case due to his attention to political developments in the Philippines.
“He [Kaufman] should focus on his defense and legal strategies, not on President [Ferdinand] Marcos [Jr.]. He is losing track of his case because he keeps monitoring Philippine politics,” Castro said on Friday, April 24.
She also urged Kaufman to concentrate on defending Duterte rather than commenting on the political careers of his children, including Vice President Sara Duterte, Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte and Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte.
“He should do his best for his client, not for the political careers of his client’s children,” Castro added.
Castro issued the statement after Kaufman, in an interview with international media in The Hague, Netherlands, claimed that the Marcos administration would not extend any assistance to the defense and had allegedly been helping the prosecution even before Duterte was surrendered to the ICC.
“The Philippine government headed by President Bongbong Marcos is not going to help us in any way whatsoever. It’s been helping the prosecution right from before the time that the former president was surrendered to the court, but it’s not going to help Mr. Duterte," Kaufman said.
He did not specify what form of assistance he meant, although state cooperation is typically extended to nationals facing legal proceedings abroad.
Trial timeline emerging
The exchange comes amid fresh developments in the ICC case, after back-to-back rulings removed key legal hurdles for Duterte’s prosecution.
On April 22, the ICC Appeals Chamber rejected Duterte’s jurisdictional challenge, effectively clearing the way for a full trial.
The following day, April 23, the Pre-Trial Chamber I confirmed three counts of crimes against humanity — murder and attempted murder — and ordered Duterte committed to trial.
The chamber found “substantial grounds to believe” that Duterte is responsible for at least 76 killings and two attempted murders across 49 incidents linked to his anti-drug campaign.
With the case now moving toward trial preparation, proceedings could begin as early as late 2026 or early 2027.
ICC-accredited lawyer Kristina Conti said the trial may start between October 2026 and February 2027, describing a possible timeline of “eight months to one year.”
Kaufman earlier gave a similar projection, saying in an April 22 interview that if charges are confirmed, “that trial may probably start at the beginning of 2027.”
According to ICC procedure, Duterte is not automatically entitled to appeal the confirmation of charges and would need to seek authorization from the court.
Duterte’s camp has rejected the ruling, arguing that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines following its 2019 withdrawal from the Rome Statute and insisting the case is based on unverified testimonies.
