UK lawyer Haynes is new Du30 lead counsel

British lawyer Peter Haynes. | Screenshot from Youtube

British lawyer Peter Haynes, who represented at least two high-profile clients in the International Criminal Court (ICC), will succeed Nicholas Kaufman as lead counsel of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

In an unredacted version of a May 8 filing, Kaufman told the ICC’s Trial Chamber (TC) III that Duterte plans to hire Haynes to replace him in defending the crimes against humanity of murder for the brutal killings in the so-called war on drugs.

Kaufman noted that Haynes has a “wealth of experience” at the ICC, having served as the lawyer for Congolese politician Jean-Pierre Bemba Bombo, who was acquitted in 2018, and Ugandan rebel Joseph Kony who remains at large.

“I have of course informed him that I will provide him with any assistance that he should require when taking over. That is my duty and, given that I know the new counsel well, it will be highly efficient,” Kaufman earlier told the Inquirer after his request for withdrawal from the defense team was made public.

Haynes, a British barrister with over three decades of experience, previously served as president of the International Criminal Court Bar Association, an independent group representing the interests of counsel and support personnel at The Hague-based tribunal.