Key facts
- The International Criminal Court has ordered a medical assessment for former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.
- The assessment aims to determine his fitness to stand trial for crimes against humanity.
- The trial is slated to commence in November.
- This marks the second court-ordered health check for Duterte.
- Duterte's legal team cited his deteriorating health as a reason for the request.
The International Criminal Court has ordered a medical assessment for former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to determine his fitness to stand trial for crimes against humanity. The proceedings are scheduled to begin in November.
This is the second time Duterte, who served as president from 2016 to 2022 and is accused of crimes against humanity related to his deadly anti-drug campaign, will undergo a health check ordered by the court. In January, the ICC’s pre-trial chamber had found the former leader fit to participate in pre-trial proceedings.
A chamber of the court stated in a decision released on Friday that the concept of 'fitness to stand trial' is crucial for a fair trial, emphasizing that proceedings must be adjourned if an accused person is unable to exercise their procedural rights due to ill health.
Duterte's legal team requested the procedure after stating last month that while a medical examination was conducted during the pre-trial phase, the 81-year-old's "condition continues to deteriorate and will need more fully to be reviewed before any trial may commence."