Castro to Kaufman: I'll treat you balut

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said she will let International Criminal Court defense attorney Nicholas Kaufman taste the country’s delicacies and talk about the country’s astounding sites if he wishes to visit the Philippines, but not at the invitation of the Palace press officer.

Kaufman, in jest, was asked by reporters covering the ICC in The Hague, Netherlands, if he has a message to Castro, to which the lawyer of then-President Rodrigo Roa Duterte said: “If she wants to invite me to Manila, I will be happy to come in and discuss the interim release of Duterte.”

With raised eyebrows, Castro said she is not inviting the ICC lawyer in the first place.

“If ever, everybody is welcome to see the beauty of our country. Welcome lahat ng tourists, lahat ng turista, pati pamilya kasama iyan. And if he is coming to the Philippines, I am more than happy to treat him, buy him balut, bagoong, kwek-kwek, IUD (isaw), adidas,” she said in a Palace briefing Friday.

However, the Malacañang official stressed that she will not discuss the interim release because it has already been denied by the ICC.

“So, pag-uusapan lang namin ang ganda ng Palawan, El Nido, Manila Zoo, lahat po iyan, iyon lang po,” Castro stated.

The request for Duterte’s interim release was rejected on 26 September 2025, which was appealed by his defense team.

However, on 28 November 2025, the Appeals Chamber dismissed the appeal and confirmed that Duterte must remain in detention.