British King’s Counsel Peter Haynes, has joined Duterte’s legal team before the ICC.

MANILA, Philippines (May 12) — Former President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed British barrister Peter Haynes as his new lead counsel before the International Criminal Court, replacing veteran defense lawyer Nicholas Kaufman amid the continuing crimes against humanity proceedings linked to Duterte’s controversial war on drugs.

The appointment places one of the most experienced international criminal defense lawyers in the world at the center of one of the Philippines’ most politically consequential legal battles.

Haynes, a King’s Counsel from St Philips Chambers in Birmingham, brings more than three decades of experience in international criminal litigation and is regarded within legal circles as among the few defense lawyers to have successfully secured a rare acquittal before the ICC.

He is best known for representing former Congolese Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba, whose conviction for war crimes and crimes against humanity was overturned by the ICC Appeals Chamber in 2018 — a landmark decision considered one of the most significant reversals in the court’s history.

Legal observers say Haynes’ entry into Duterte’s defense team signals a possible shift toward a more aggressive and technically sophisticated litigation strategy as the case moves deeper into the trial phase.

Beyond the Bemba case, Haynes has handled proceedings before the:

• International Criminal Court
• International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia
• Special Tribunal for Lebanon

He also served two terms as president of the International Criminal Court Bar Association (ICCBA), becoming the first lawyer re-elected to the post.

In 2024, the ICC appointed Haynes as defense counsel for fugitive Lord’s Resistance Army leader Joseph Kony during the court’s historic in absentia confirmation proceedings — another indication of the court’s confidence in his expertise in complex international criminal defense.

The ICC Registry reportedly approved Haynes’ appointment following Kaufman’s withdrawal from Duterte’s legal team. Kaufman, who had represented Duterte during earlier proceedings, said he remained confident that the former president’s defense would continue effectively under Haynes’ leadership.

Duterte continues to face allegations tied to thousands of killings linked to his anti-drug campaign while serving as president from 2016 to 2022. Human rights organizations estimate the death toll to be significantly higher than official government figures. Duterte and his allies have repeatedly denied authorizing extrajudicial killings and insist police operations were conducted lawfully.

The appointment of Haynes comes at a politically volatile moment for the Duterte camp, following renewed international attention on the ICC proceedings and mounting legal pressure on personalities associated with the former administration’s anti-drug operations.