Former senator Leila de Lima insisted that efforts to hold former President Rodrigo Duterte accountable before the International Criminal Court (ICC) would continue despite the withdrawal of lawyer Nicholas Kaufman from Duterte’s legal team.
De Lima, who serves as House Senior Deputy Minority Leader, said the development should serve as a “bitter lesson” for ICC lawyers defending individuals accused of crimes against humanity.
According to de Lima, there is no “magic” in legal practice that can erase evidence tied to allegations connected to Duterte’s anti-drug campaign.
She argued that when evidence is strong, legal strategies often shift toward questioning procedures and appealing to public opinion instead of directly disputing the allegations.
However, de Lima said such approaches would likely not influence ICC judges, whom she described as focused on evidence and legal standards.
The lawmaker also expressed doubt that any lawyer replacing Kaufman would be able to significantly change the direction of the case.
De Lima further pointed to Duterte’s previous public statements in which he allegedly said he was prepared to answer for the thousands killed by police officers and death squads during the anti-drug campaign.
She urged the former president to stand by those remarks and directly face the accusations instead of avoiding accountability.
The ICC has been investigating allegations related to killings linked to Duterte’s war on drugs, which drew international criticism over reported human rights violations.
