Atty. Nicholas Kaufman, lead counsel for former president Rodrigo Duterte.
MALACANANG has strongly condemned statements made by Atty. Nicholas Kaufman, lead counsel for former President Rodrigo Duterte, blaming President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for Duterte’s detention at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
In an interview, Kaufman directly accused President Marcos of being the “real prosecutor” in the case, alleging that Marcos used his power for personal gain and orchestrated Duterte’s referral to the ICC.
This assertion drew immediate and sharp rebuke from Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro.
Castro dismissed Kaufman’s statements as unfounded, suggesting a lack of understanding of the case timeline and facts. She accused Kaufman of engaging in “rumor mongering” and implied that he was surrounded by purveyors of fake news.
Castro’s response was notably pointed, drawing a comparison to Atty. Harry Roque’s past pronouncements.
Separately, Malacañang welcomed Senator Imee Marcos’ admission of a mistake related to a meeting with Atty. Kaufman, though President Marcos himself declined to comment on the matter.
Senator Marcos, who visited The Hague with Vice President Sara Duterte to express support for former President Duterte, acknowledged the error, referencing the historical experiences of her family following the 1986 EDSA Revolution.
She expressed her understanding of the hardship of being separated from one’s homeland and her hope for Duterte’s swift return to the Philippines.
