The International Criminal Court Trial Chamber III released Friday, Oct.8, its decision made on Sept. 28 that former president Rodrigo Duterte is fit to stand trial that is scheduled to start on Nov. 30.
Led by Presiding Judge Joanna Korner, the three-person chamber, citing the report of the panel of experts it appointed in June, said, it is “satisfied the Accused is able to effectively exercise his fair trial rights in the proceedings and is therefore fit to stand trial.”
It rejected the requests of Duterte’s defense counsel for additional medical examination, to question the Expert Panel as well as for initial oral hearing.
The Expert Panel unanimously found that the 81-year old Duterte has the capacity to understand the charges, understand the purpose and consequences of the proceedings, follow the course of the proceedings, including the nature and implications of entering a plea, understand the evidence, and instruct counsel in the preparation and conduct of his defense.
The Chamber took note of the special measures proposed by the Expert panel : Use over-ear headphones or hearing aids during hearings; provide care and support in relation to food, rest and exercise; take breaks in the hearings each hour; start hearings no earlier than 11:00; and have a member of nursing staff available during breaks to assist with medication and care.
In its decision, the Chamber shared the expert panel’s observation that there is an “apparent improvement” of Duterte’s health and attributed it to the “the high standard of medical and nursing care, including diagnostic rigor and pharmacological rationalization.”
Duterte, who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from June 2016 to June 2022, is charged with crimes against humanity of murder and attempted murder, committed in between 2011 and 2019 in connection with his bloody ‘war on drugs’ campaign.
He was arrested on March 11, 2025 in the Philippines and surrendered to ICC the next day. He remains in detention at the Scheveningen prison.
Photo by Flickr ICC,
