The International Criminal Court (ICC) has appointed a new expert to join the panel evaluating former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s medical condition to determine his fitness to stand trial. The appointment follows the revocation of a previous panel member’s position due to professional concerns, as stated in a public redacted decision by the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I.
Duterte, 80, has been detained at the Hague Penitentiary Institution since his arrest in March on charges of crimes against humanity related to killings during his tenure as president and Davao City mayor. In August, his defense argued that Duterte lacked the cognitive capacity necessary to participate in his defense, prompting the ICC to order a medical evaluation.
Initially, the ICC appointed three experts — a neurologist, a forensic psychiatrist, and a neuropsychologist — to assess Duterte. However, concerns were raised regarding the qualifications of one neuropsychologist, leading the ICC to revoke her appointment and restrict her access to all case documents. A new neuropsychologist was subsequently appointed to the panel, and the Registry was instructed to complete their admission to the ICC’s List of Experts by October 24.
The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I extended the deadline for the panel to submit joint or individual reports on Duterte’s fitness to December 5, 2025. Following the submission, the defense, prosecution, and the Office of Public Counsel for Victims (OPCV) have until December 12 to provide observations.
The extrajudicial killings under Duterte’s administration were officially recorded at around 6,000, though human rights groups estimate the number could be as high as 30,000, including vigilante killings.
