Duterte appoints British lawyer for ICC case

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed British lawyer Nicholas Kaufman as his lead counsel for his case at the International Criminal Court (ICC). This was confirmed by his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte. Duterte made his first appearance at the ICC via video link. The court has scheduled a confirmation of charges hearing for September 23, 2025, related to alleged crimes against humanity during his anti-drug campaign. Duterte faces accusations of involvement in thousands of deaths linked to his administration's war on drugs from 2016 to 2019. Official data reports at least 6,000 deaths, while human rights groups estimate the toll could be as high as 30,000.