SEASONED British-Israeli lawyer Nicholas Kaufman, who serves as the lead counsel of former President Rodrigo Duterte (FPRRD) in his case before the International Criminal Court (ICC), said on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, that the latter was denied of all his rights in the Philippines following his arrest and immediate turnover to the ICC in the Netherlands.
“He was completely denied all his rights in the Philippines. That would obviously be a major argument in the course of his defense,” Kaufman said.
Kaufman made the statement when he was asked if they will invoke Article 59 of the Rome Statute.
Under Section 2 of Article 59, “a person arrested shall be brought promptly before the competent judicial authority in the custodial State.”
The international lawyer assured that they will file all the necessary applications related to the case in due course.
Earlier, Kaufman expressed confidence in FPRRD's acquittal from his case for alleged crime against humanity before the ICC.
Duterte, who was arrested in the Philippines on March 11 and was immediately transported to the Hague, appeared before the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber on Friday, March 14 via video conference.
The next hearing was set for September 23.
Earlier, FPRRD’s camp insisted that he should have been first presented to a local court before being transported to the Hague on the orders of a Philippine court. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)