International Criminal Court judges rule Duterte eligible for trial proceedings

International Criminal Court Ruling on Rodrigo Duterte’s Fitness for Trial

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has ruled that former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is fit to stand trial for alleged crimes against humanity. The court rejected defence arguments that the 80-year-old president is in frail health and unfit to participate in the legal proceedings.

According to the ICC, a panel of medical experts, including those specializing in geriatric neurology and psychiatry, assessed Duterte’s fitness to exercise his procedural rights. The judges noted that for individuals to be deemed fit for trial, they only need to have a broad understanding of the procedures, not necessarily operate at their highest level.

This decision is unusual, as international courts rarely find suspects, even elderly ones, wholly unfit for trial. The ICC has previously denied such petitions from other defendants. Duterte will now face a “confirmation of charges” hearing starting on February 23, where judges will determine whether the prosecution’s allegations are strong enough to proceed to trial.

Duterte’s lead lawyer, Nick Kaufman, expressed disappointment with the court’s decision and stated that he would seek to appeal. The defence was denied the opportunity to present its own medical evidence and question the contradictory findings of professionals selected by the judges.

The ICC has charged Duterte with crimes against humanity related to his “war on drugs” during his presidency from 2016 to 2022. Estimates of the death toll vary, with national police putting it at over 6,000 and human rights groups estimating it as high as 30,000.

Source: Al Jazeera