Palace to Kaufman in defending Duterte: We wish him all the luck

Malacañang on Tuesday wished Atty. Nicholas Kaufman good luck in defending his client, former President Rodrigo Duterte, at the International Criminal Court.

At a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro was asked for comment on the statement of Kaufman that the biggest challenge in Duterte's case was the possible political manipulation.

''We understand his opinion on this, especially that he is representing the suspect, former President Duterte, who admitted his acts of killings. So, it is really … he will definitely face some difficulties in defending his client, if regarding the admissions made by his client,'' Castro said.

''But we wish him all the luck because, still, we have to presume that the suspect is still innocent until proven guilty,'' she added.

Castro said, ''every lawyer desires and aspires to win all his cases for his clients.''

''So, expected naman po natin na malamang ito ang magiging depensa po ni Atty. Kaufman. And siguro mas maganda rin po talaga, kasi sinabi niya po na political manipulation of arguments, so it is also better for him to know who manipulates who," she said.

''And, of course, sabi nga natin, he should also be aware of the plight of EJK families of the EJK victims who are now allegedly being harassed by some of the Duterte supporters according to Atty. Conti,'' she added.

In a message to GMA Integrated News, Kaufman said Castro's remarks would reflect ''political establishment in the judicial process.

''The fact that the Palace spokesperson felt at liberty to gratuitously and crudely assist the ICC Prosecutor would appear to be [a] fairly clear involvement of the political establishment in the judicial process,'' Kaufman said.

''Notwithstanding, I thank Ms. Castro for reminding the world that former President Duterte is, unless determined otherwise, totally innocent,'' he added.

Kaufman said it is regrettable that Castro's insight into basic human rights was not shared by her colleagues in the government ''who renditioned the former President to The Hague denying him all recourse to the courts of the Philippines.''

The ICC has released the name of another lawyer who will be part of Duterte's defense team for his case before the court.

Atty. Dov Jacobs has been appointed as associate counsel of Duterte, according to the ICC Registry in a document signed by Marc Dubuisson, director of the Division of Judicial Services, on behalf of ICC registrar Osvaldo Zavala Giler dated April 7.

The former president's defense team is led by Kaufman, who requested on April 2 for Jacobs to assist as associate counsel, according to the ICC.

Duterte was arrested on March 11 and surrendered to the ICC, with the plane carrying him to the Netherlands arriving the next day.

He is detained in The Hague for charges of crimes against humanity for the extrajudicial killings during his administration's war on drugs.  —VAL/RSJ, GMA Integrated News