British barrister, Peter Haynes, who previously secured a high-profile victory at the International Criminal Court (ICC) has been named lead counsel for former President Rodrigo Duterte, replacing Atty. Nicholas Kaufman who withdrew from the defense team.

Haynes is a King’s Counsel based at St. Philips Chambers in Birmingham, England, will now head Duterte’s defense before the ICC. He is widely regarded as a leading practitioner in international criminal and humanitarian law.

The British laywer brings more than two decades of experience appearing before international tribunals in The Hague, handling cases involving genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and international terrorism.

He is best known for his role in the appeal of 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.

The ruling was considered one of the court’s most significant reversals and a major milestone in international criminal jurisprudence.

In 2024, Haynes was also appointed to represent fugitive Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony in the ICC’s first in absentia proceedings, further underscoring his experience in complex and precedent-setting cases.

His appointment comes as Duterte faces proceedings before the ICC over allegations linked to his administration’s controversial anti-drug campaign.