On September 29, 21 organizations of lawyers and human rights defenders asked the International Criminal Court to impose disciplinary action on Rodrigo Duterte’s lawyer, Nicolas Kaufman, for repeatedly distorting court proceedings and spreading false information related to his client’s case. Groups that signed the petition included Karapatan, Duterte Panagutin Network, Free Legal Assistance Group, and Rise Up for Life.

They said Kaufman twisted actual events and statements to favor his client. One example was Kaufman’s claim that the prosecution agreed with his petition for Duterte’s interim release last June, which the prosecution strongly denied. More recently, Kaufman stated that the Philippine government did not oppose Duterte’s interim release, citing the Marcos regime spokesperson’s remarks that “the government will accept any ICC decision.” Malacanang’s spokesperson clarified that the government had no such position. Despite these clarifications, Duterte and his propaganda machinery shamelessly spread the lies on social media.

According to the groups, the repeated twisting of key facts constitute deliberate deception and confusion described as “direct dissemination of false information.”

The petition asked that the lawyer be investigated under ICC Rule 36 and Article 70 of the Rome Statute, which refers to offenses against the administration of justice, including misleading the court. “The repeated misrepresentations not only undermine the process but also embolden disinformation campaigns that erode public trust in the ICC,” the groups said. They added that Kaufman’s tactics, amplified on social media by Duterte’s supporters, worsened polarization in the Philippines, where the impact of the war on drugs remains controversial.

Weeks earlier, the ICC released three important documents supporting the case against Duterte: the Document Containing the Charges (DCC), a list of 181 pieces of evidence, and a pre-confirmation brief dated July 4.

The DCC stipulated three counts of crimes against humanity that would have been filed against Duterte had the confirmation of his case proceeded last September 23. Evidence submitted by the prosecution included witness statements, police records, and Duterte’s own admissions, such as boasting that he would “claim full legal responsibility” for the killings. Human rights advocates called these documents a “crucial step toward accountability” in the killings that reportedly reached more than 30,000 during the “war on drugs.”

Meanwhile, Duterte’s family has continued using his alleged poor health to shield him from the case. On September 24, his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, attacked the ICC over what she called an unnecessary and “unauthorized intrusion,” referring to the Philippine embassy’s “welfare check” at Scheveningen Prison, and claimed it violated her father’s privacy. The ICC clarified that Duterte himself authorized the visit. The Department of Foreign Affairs added that it was also in accordance with the Vienna Convention.

On September 27, the younger Duterte spread unverified information claiming that her father was found unconscious in his cell. Duterte’s former wife, Elizabeth Zimmerman, directly denied the report and said that he was in “good condition.”

Victims of Duterte’s drug war continue to hope that the confirmation of his cases proceeds at the earliest possible time, that the trial begins, and that he is punished for his crimes against humanity.