Malacañang has pushed back against statements made by the defense counsel of former President Rodrigo Duterte regarding the government’s alleged role in his case before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The response came after Duterte’s lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman, said in an interview that his legal team was not expecting any support from the current administration.
Kaufman also accused the Marcos administration of allegedly assisting the ICC prosecution even before Duterte was surrendered to the international court.
In response, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro advised Duterte’s camp to focus on their legal strategy rather than directing attention toward President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Castro said the defense appeared to be losing focus, claiming that Kaufman was giving more attention to monitoring political developments in the Philippines instead of concentrating on the case of his client.
She emphasized that as a lawyer, Kaufman should take all necessary steps that would benefit Duterte’s legal defense.
Castro also said that Kaufman should not act in ways that would serve the interests or political careers of Duterte’s children.
The Palace official’s remarks highlighted growing tension between the Duterte camp and the current administration over statements related to the ICC proceedings.
Kaufman’s earlier statements raised concerns about the alleged involvement of the Marcos administration in the ICC case, an accusation that Malacañang strongly disputed.
The government has maintained that Duterte’s legal team should concentrate on addressing the charges in court rather than making statements about political issues.
Developments related to Duterte’s ICC case continue to draw public attention as officials and legal representatives exchange statements over the handling of the proceedings.
