FACT CHECK: Posts show American author Nicholas Kaufmann, not Duterte’s lawyer

Claim: Social media posts about former president Rodrigo Duterte’s case at the International Criminal Court (ICC) show photos of Nicholas Kaufman, Duterte’s lead defense counsel. 

Rating: FALSE 

Why we fact-checked this: The claim was made in at least two social media posts, with one receiving 8,800 reactions, 1,400 comments, and 365 shares as of writing. 

The post shows images of various personalities, including Duterte, ICC Presiding Judge Iulia Motoc, Judge María del Socorro Flores Liera, and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Three photos, supposedly of Kaufman, are also included.

Text overlaid on the photo reads, “FPRRD pinapauwi sa Pinas! ([Former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte] ordered to return to the Philippines)” and “Atty Kaufman pinabilib ang ICC (Atty. Kaufman impressed the ICC).” 

The same image was used in another post dated March 2, which has received 3,100 likes, 543 comments, and 124 shares as of writing.

The facts: Of the three supposed images of Kaufman used in the posts, one is not that of the British-Israeli lawyer. The photo on the upper right shows American author Nicholas Kaufmann, who has previously called out Filipinos for mistaking him for Duterte’s lawyer. 

In April 2025, three weeks after Duterte was arrested, the American author appealed to Filipinos to stop messaging him because he is not the former president’s lawyer.

“I am being absolutely flooded today with followers and commenters from the Philippines who I guess don’t believe I’m not Duterte’s lawyer. Our names aren’t even spelled the same (he’s Kaufman with one n). It’s insane,” Kaufmann said in a Facebook post on April 1.

The misleading Facebook posts misusing Kaufmann’s photo circulated following the conclusion of Duterte’s confirmation of charges hearing in The Hague, The Netherlands, where he faces crimes against humanity charges linked to his administration’s war on drugs. 

Kaufmann vs Kaufman: Kaufmann is an American author known for writing books in the horror, urban fantasy, and adventure fiction genres. Some of his well-known books are 100 Fathoms Below and Chasing the Dragon. He is a Bram Stoker, Shirley Jackson, and International Thriller Writers Award nominee.

Meanwhile, Kaufman, a British-Israeli ICC-accredited lawyer, is described as a “legal heavyweight,” a “legal strategist,” and a “veteran in international legal battles.” He has previously defended Jean-Pierre Bemba, the vice president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (the DR Congo); Maxime Mokom Gawaka, a militia leader of the Central African Republic accused of war crimes; and Ayesha Gaddafi, daughter of the slain Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi. 

Duterte release: The posts also falsely claim that Duterte, Kaufman’s client, has been ordered released. Contrary to the claim, Duterte remains detained at the ICC facility. Following the conclusion of the confirmation of charges hearing on February 27, he is now awaiting a written decision from the Pre-Trial Chamber, which will be delivered within 60 days. 

The Chamber may confirm the charges against Duterte and proceed to a full trial if it finds that there is sufficient evidence, decline to confirm the charges and stop the proceedings, or adjourn the hearing and request the prosecutor to provide more evidence and conduct further investigations. 

Duterte was arrested on March 11, 2025, over charges of crimes against humanity for his war on drugs. Human rights watchdogs cited that over 30,000 individuals, including children and civilians, were killed in extrajudicial killings. 

Previous fact checks: Rappler has previously debunked similar false claims about Duterte’s ICC case: 

• FACT CHECK: ICC judges did not withdraw from Duterte case 
• FACT CHECK: ICC ruling on Duterte waiver misrepresented as decision on his release 
• FACT CHECK: Photo of Duterte with a gun, shown at ICC, taken out of context in viral video 
• FACT CHECK: Duterte not set to be released in February 2026, ICC case ongoing 
• FACT CHECK: No ICC ruling allowing Duterte to return to PH wearing location tracker 

– Angelee Kaye Abelinde/Rappler.com 

Angelee Kaye Abelinde is a student journalist based in Naga City, and an alumna of Rappler’s Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship 2024. 

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