Lawyers of Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war victims urged the International Criminal Court to declare the former president fit to stand trial on Nov. 30.
The call came after an independent panel of experts appointed by the Trial Chamber III submitted its joint and individual reports on Aug. 21 following its examination of Duterte.
This also happened the day after the 81-year old Duterte personally appeared during the third status conference, the first since his arrest on March 12, 2025.
In a heavily redacted document dated Sept. 17, the common legal representatives of victims said that Duterte meets all the court’s requirements for being considered fit to stand trial based on scientific conclusions in the expert report.
“Under the court’s jurisprudence, the absence of any impairment preventing the meaningful exercise of fair trial rights is determinative of fitness to stand trial,” lawyers Gilbert Andres, Joel Butuyan, and Paolina Massida said.
“Accordingly, on the basis of the panel of experts’ conclusions, the chamber is entitled to find that Mr. Duterte is fit to stand trial and [REDACTED],” they added.
In an earlier filing, the prosecution also told the court that the expert panel report demonstrates that the former president is fit for trial.
Meanwhile, the defense asked the trial judges to order another medical examination to evaluate Duterte’s “cognitive impairment” or, in alternative, allow the parties to question the expert findings orally or in writing.
Trial Chamber III Presiding Judge Joanna Korner said during the Sept. 16 status conference that the chamber will issue a written decision on Duterte’s fitness for trial, among other pending motions submitted by the parties.
If the chamber rules that Duterte can take part in the proceedings, his trial will open as scheduled on Nov. 30. This will continue until the week before the Christmas break, and then from January until the Easter break.
