The International Criminal Court (ICC) has ordered a full medical evaluation of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte to determine if he is mentally and physically capable of standing trial for alleged crimes against humanity tied to his administration’s anti-drug campaign.
In a nine-page ruling dated October 16, 2025, the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I appointed a panel of three independent experts—a forensic psychiatrist, a neuropsychologist, and a geriatric and behavioral neurologist—to assess Duterte’s ability to participate meaningfully in court proceedings.
The panel was instructed to review Duterte’s complete medical records, some of which will be translated from Dutch to English, and to submit their findings to the court by October 31. The prosecution, defense, and representatives of the victims may comment on the results until November 5.
The chamber, composed of Judges Iulia Antoanella Motoc, Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou, and María del Socorro Flores Liera, said the evaluation will help determine whether Duterte can understand the charges and evidence presented against him and effectively instruct his legal counsel.
The order follows a motion filed by Duterte’s defense in August seeking an indefinite suspension of proceedings due to what it described as the former president’s deteriorating health. The ICC subsequently put on hold the confirmation of charges hearing “until further notice.”
The court emphasized that determining Duterte’s fitness to stand trial is a legal question focused on his capacity to exercise procedural rights, not merely the presence of medical conditions.
The case is part of the ICC’s ongoing pre-trial investigation into alleged crimes against humanity linked to the thousands of killings that occurred during Duterte’s drug war in the Philippines.
