ICC-accredited lawyers Joel Butuyan and Nicholas Kaufman

MANILA, Philippines – Lawyers of drug war victims hit back at former President Rodrigo Duterte’s lead defense counsel Nicholas Kaufman for accusing them of “lying” about the decisions of the International Criminal Court (ICC). 

ICC-accredited lawyer Joel Butuyan in an interview on ANC said Kaufman was the one peddling lies when he denied their camp made propositions to restrict the identification process of victims participating in the investigation of the international tribunal into the drug war. 

In a previous interview, Kaufman blamed Butuyan and drug war victims counsel Kristina Conti for making such assertions in the media. 

Kaufman said the proposal “never happened” and that what they made were mere “observations” of the process of admitting victims into ICC’s Victims Participation and Reparations Sector (VPRS) and “not a request.” 

Butuyan however downplayed Kaufman’s argument and said that his mere observations are already a form of opposition. 

“‘Yung observation niya is actually an opposition, he was actually requesting that the Pre-Trial Chamber limit the IDs to three categories lang. Sinasabi niyang observation lang pero ‘yun na ‘yun, he’s opposing actually the submission of the VPRS na palawakin ang mga IDs na matatanggap sa ICC,” Butuyan said. 

Butuyan also refuted Kaufman’s claim that he and Conti were not accepted as representatives of the victims because the process for choosing counsels had yet begun. 

“Ang kanyang iniimply ay kailangan mong ma-appoint ng ICC na victims’ counsel bago ka makapag komento sa mga pangyayari sa ICC. Fake news ‘yun noh, sobrang fake news kasi kahit na sinong tanong can actually express his or her views sa mga nangyayari sa ICC. 

In an interview on Teleradyo Serbisyo, Conti also slammed Kaufman’s remarks. 

“My only statement then was, we welcome the decision of the ICC to reinstate or accept the proposal of the VPRS,” Conti said. 

“Sabi ko nga, give me the interview or the statement that I made where I expressly said the ICC has rejected [the Duterte camp’s proposal]. Kung ako ang nagsabi niyan at  ganun then I would be a liar but I am not. I did not say that,” Conti said. 

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