THE HAGUE — Nicholas Kaufman, legal counsel of former President Rodrigo Duterte at the International Criminal Court (ICC), on Thursday questioned whether authorities have considered investigating President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., claiming that vigilante-style killings allegedly continued even after Duterte left office.
Kaufman raised the remarks during the defense’s submissions on the merits at the continuation of the ICC’s confirmation of charges hearings on Duterte’s alleged crimes against humanity.
“There is no reason to believe that Duterte’s disappearance from the political scene would have frustrated the ongoing incidents of murder at the hands of state agents or vigilantes,” Kaufman told the court.
“Clearly, I’m forced to ask myself whether anyone on the other side of this room has thought of investigating the Marcos regime and the related phenomenon and holding someone accountable,” he added.
Kaufman cited data from the Dahas Project of the University of the Philippines, which reported that 160 out of 342 killings during the first year of the Marcos administration were attributed to state agents. He said the number of recorded killings rose from 342 to 362 between July 2023 and June 2024, with state agents accounting for 34 percent of the incidents.
He also questioned why representatives of drug war victims were not demanding accountability for more recent killings.
“Or is it of no consequence now that Mr. Duterte is sitting in the ICC detention center?” Kaufman asked.
Malacañang has rejected broader claims from Duterte’s defense team suggesting that President Marcos was working to “neutralize” his predecessor or support efforts against him at the ICC, calling such allegations “preposterous.”
Palace officials have emphasized that the ICC case against Duterte predates the Marcos administration and said the defense should focus on the charges at hand rather than raising political accusations.
Malacañang rejected Kaufman’s claim, saying the allegations were unfounded and reiterating that the administration does not condone extrajudicial killings.
The Marcos administration has maintained that the Philippines will not formally cooperate with the ICC, citing the country’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute in 2019 under Duterte. At the same time, officials have said the government would comply with its obligations to international policing bodies such as Interpol if necessary.
There has also been no indication from Malacañang that the Philippines plans to rejoin the ICC.
Human rights groups have noted that while large-scale anti-drug campaign killings have reportedly decreased compared to the height of Duterte’s presidency, drug-related and police-linked killings continue to be reported, prompting calls for greater accountability.
The ICC Office of the Prosecutor has charged Duterte with three counts of crimes against humanity for alleged murder and attempted murder committed during his tenure as Davao City mayor and later as president.
Kaufman has previously expressed hope that the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I would dismiss the charges and return to the Filipino people “their Tatay Digong,” arguing that the evidence against his client was “wholly insufficient.”
The final hearing is scheduled for Friday, February 27, during which the defense, prosecution, and representatives of the victims are set to deliver their closing statements. The ICC is also expected to review Duterte’s detention status.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
