MANILA, Philippines — The International Criminal Court (ICC) ordered a fresh medical examination on former president Rodrigo Duterte to determine whether he was fit to stand trial on crimes against humanity charges, according to a decision released Friday.
The ruling, issued by Trial Chamber III on June 12, reappoints the same three medical experts who evaluated Duterte during the pre-trial phase. The panel includes specialists in forensic psychiatry, geriatric and behavioral neurology, and neuropsychology.
The trial is scheduled to commence on Nov. 30, 2026.
While a pre-trial chamber previously found Duterte fit to participate in pre-trial proceedings, the Trial Chamber noted it was not involved in that assessment and required its own independent evaluation for the trial phase.
“The Chamber finds that it requires an objective assessment of the Accused’s health by independent experts for the purposes of making a determination as to his fitness to stand trial,” the decision stated.
The defense had requested the new examination, arguing that Duterte’s “condition continues to deteriorate” and that his fitness needed to be reviewed before any trial could begin.
The three experts – whose names were redacted in the public version of the ruling – have been admitted to the ICC’s List of Experts and were previously agreed upon by both the prosecution and the defense.
Under the court’s instructions, the panel must assess whether Duterte has the capacity to understand the charges, follow proceedings, instruct counsel, and withstand full-time trial hearings. The experts are also asked to recommend any special measures or adjustments to accommodate his medical condition.
The experts are ordered to submit their joint or individual reports to the court by Aug. 18, 2026, with parties and participants allowed to file observations by Aug. 31.
