Malacañang on Friday rebuked claims made by former President Rodrigo Duterte’s chief legal counsel, Nicholas Kaufman, saying he is being “surrounded by fake news peddlers.”
Kaufman, who is defending Duterte in the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) investigation into the drug war killings, alleged that the “real prosecutor” behind the case is in Manila, accusing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of pushing Duterte into The Hague’s jurisdiction.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro refuted the accusation, describing it as baseless and misinformed.
“It is very apparent and very obvious that Atty. Kaufman is being surrounded by fake news peddlers,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said.
“He doesn’t know the timeline; he doesn’t know the facts of the case,” she added.
Castro added that instead of engaging in “rumor mongering,” Kaufman should focus on his role as legal counsel.
Recently, Kaufman met with the presidential sister, Senator Imee Marcos, during the latter’s visit to The Hague in the Netherlands.
In a social media post, Imee thanked the international lawyer, assuring the return of the former president.
“Thank you, Atty. Nicholas Kaufman. Together, we will bring PRRD home,” Imee said.
The ICC is investigating alleged crimes against humanity during Duterte’s bloody anti-drug campaign.
During Duterte’s administration, the Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019, but the court argues it retains jurisdiction over crimes committed while the country was still a member.
