Defense Lawyer Nicholas Kaufman (R) speaks with Xavier Jean Keita of the office of public council for defense on March 27, 2014 at the courtroom of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague during Charles Ble Goude's initial appearance. Michael Kooren, AFP/File

MANILA (UPDATED) -- The lead counsel of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte promises to provide "strong defense" as they plan the next steps in Duterte's case. 

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Nicholas Kaufman said he is still in the process of completing the defense team for Duterte.

The Duterte camp earlier said that aside from Kaufman, former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea and former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque would be part of the panel's supporting lawyers. 

READ: Duterte assembles defense team with international law expert as lead counsel

Kaufman, however, refused to provide additional details on the matter, adding that the composition of the team has yet to be approved by Duterte.

"There was a need, first of all, for a senior counsel to be appointed, a counsel who has experience with matters of the ICC, and it's that counsel's job to compose the team. It's early days yet, no one is entitled to draw any conclusion whatsoever from what has been and what hasn't been done with respect to nominations at this point in time," he said.

Kaufman also said there will be petitions filed, but more information will be revealed later once the team is finalized.

"There will be petitions obviously. Once again it's not for me to comment on the defense strategy this moment in time," he said.

Aside from providing a strong defense, Kaufman also said he hopes to bring Duterte back to the Philippines.

"I certainly hope so," he said.

READ: Rodrigo Duterte at ICC: What happens next?

READ: Former President Duterte 'in very high spirits' inside ICC detention facility: Medialdea

Duterte, 79, faces allegations of crimes against humanity over his deadly war on drugs during his administration.

He made his first appearance at the ICC on Friday, doing so via videolink. He was informed of the crimes he is alleged to have committed, as well as his rights as a defendant.

Before Duterte, Kaufman previously defended the likes of former Congo Vice President Jean Pierre Bemba and former Central African Republic (CAR) minister Maxime Mokom, who were also charged with crimes against humanity before the ICC.

Kaufman's experience in defending high-ranking leaders before ICC magistrates may come in handy for Duterte, said international law expert and law school dean Ralph Sarmiento.

"Experience is a very important in the conduct of the trial. If you are not accredited, meaning to say you do not have international law practice, probably your view point is domestic law practice," said Sarmiento, dean of the University of St. La Salle Bacolod's College of Law.

"If you participate in the proceedings and then you don't have experience in international criminal law and litigation, then you might be causing delays in the proceedings because you were not conversant with the rules and procedure," he told ABS-CBN News.

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