House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Representative Leila de Lima on Saturday dismissed the significance of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s change in legal counsel, asserting that no lawyer can shield him from accountability before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The statement followed reports that lawyer Nicholas Kaufman officially withdrew as Duterte’s lead counsel.
In a filing dated May 8, Kaufman noted his engagement ended on March 31, 2026, and that a redacted replacement is set to take over ahead of a May 27 status conference.
De Lima, a staunch critic and former Justice Secretary, remained unimpressed by the reshuffle.
“Sinuman ang maging abogado nya, tuloy ang pagpapanagot kay Duterte hanggang makamit ang hustisya,” she stated.
She further challenged the former leader to stand by his previous public pronouncements regarding the “war on drugs” which claimed thousands of lives.
“Siya rin naman ang nagsabi na handa siyang managot sa libo-libong Pilipino na pinapatay niya sa mga pulis at mga death squads. Huwag siyang maging duwag sa pagharap sa pananagutan,” De Lima added.
Characterizing the withdrawal as a “bitter lesson” for defense lawyers, De Lima argued that procedural tactics would not hold up against the evidence gathered by the ICC.
She concluded that regardless of who steps in, the core of the case—crimes against humanity—remains unchangeable.