The International Criminal Court (ICC) has ordered a comprehensive medical evaluation of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to assess his ability to participate in the ongoing pre-trial proceedings, including the upcoming confirmation of charges.
The directive was issued by Pre-Trial Chamber I, composed of Judges Iulia Antoanella Motoc, Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou, and María del Socorro Flores Liera. It mandates the ICC Registry to organize the medical examination and provide Duterte’s complete medical records to a panel of three independent specialists.
The panel will include a forensic psychiatrist, a neuropsychologist, and a geriatric and behavioral neurologist. Their task is to determine whether Duterte is currently suffering from any medical condition that could hinder his ability to take part in the proceedings. The experts are also expected to advise on any accommodations that may be necessary to ensure his fair participation.
The ICC emphasized that the examination is in line with its commitment to upholding the rights of the accused, including the right to a fair trial.
The experts’ names have been withheld from the public document for security and impartiality reasons. The Chamber explicitly instructed the panel to maintain confidentiality and barred any contact between the parties and the medical team to preserve the experts’ neutrality.
The panel’s findings—whether as a joint or individual report—are due to be submitted by the Registry no later than October 31. All parties, including Duterte’s defense, the Prosecution, and the Office of Public Counsel for Victims (OPCV), will be allowed to file written observations, limited to 10 pages, by November 5. The Chamber has made clear that no further submissions regarding Duterte’s health will be accepted beyond this date.
This move follows the Chamber’s earlier denial of a request by Duterte’s defense team for interim release. Among the reasons cited were Duterte’s denial of the legitimacy of his arrest and ongoing efforts by his family to undermine the ICC’s authority.
Duterte was arrested on March 11 upon his arrival from Hong Kong, in connection with the ICC’s investigation into alleged crimes against humanity committed during his administration’s brutal anti-drug campaign. The ICC has accused Duterte of orchestrating and supporting death squads that carried out extrajudicial killings of suspected drug offenders.
Following his arrest, Duterte was immediately transferred to The Hague in the Netherlands. He made his initial appearance before the ICC via video link on March 14.
His confirmation of charges hearing, initially scheduled for September 23, was postponed at the request of his legal team and is yet to be rescheduled.
