Peter Haynes, former President Duterte's new lead counsel, was head of ICC Bar Association

Former President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed Peter Haynes, a British expert in international criminal and humanitarian law, as his new lead counsel. He replaces Nicholas Kaufman in this role.

According to the Philippine News Agency, Haynes served as president of the International Criminal Court Bar Association between 2019 and 2021, becoming the first person to be re-elected to the post.

According to his profile at St. Philips Barristers, Haynes is one of the few practitioners to have led cases before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), where he represented General Vinko Pandurević in the defense related to the Srebrenica massacre.

He has appeared before the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL).

At the ICC, Haynes represented Jean-Pierre Bemba, the Minister of Defense and Senator of the Democratic Republic of Congo, successfully securing an acquittal of all charges on appeal.

More recently, in 2024, the court appointed him to represent Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army, in the ICC's first in absentia hearings.

According to a court document released by the ICC on Tuesday, Duterte's former lead counsel Kaufman has notified Trial Chamber III that Haynes will be replacing him. Haynes is now set to represent Duterte in the upcoming trial before the court.

“Counsel has spoken to Mr. Haynes who has indeed confirmed that he is ready willing and able to assume immediate representation and that his terms of engagement have been agreed,” Kaufman was quoted by the PNA.

“Counsel informed Mr. Haynes of pending deadlines and Mr. Haynes assured him that he will be able to attend the status conference set for 27 May 2026,” Kaufman added.

-Paraluman News