THE HAGUE — The International Criminal Court (ICC) has postponed the Sept. 23, 2025 confirmation-of-charges hearing for former Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, granting a limited delay to evaluate whether the 80-year-old is medically fit to participate in proceedings.
The decision, issued by the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber, follows a motion from Duterte’s defense team filed in August. His lawyers claimed he is suffering from cognitive deterioration that affects memory, reasoning, orientation, and executive function, impairing his ability to follow proceedings and assist in his defense. Large portions of the filing remain redacted, and no definitive diagnosis has been disclosed. The Chamber emphasized that the suspension would last only for the time strictly necessary to complete an assessment of his condition.
Duterte was arrested in March 2025 on allegations of crimes against humanity tied to thousands of deaths during his anti-drug campaign, both as president and earlier as Davao City mayor. Independent estimates of the death toll range widely—from more than 6,000 killings documented in official statistics to as high as 30,000 cited by human rights organizations. The confirmation-of-charges hearing, now delayed, is a key step in determining whether the case will advance to trial.
Questions of fitness to stand trial are rare in international criminal proceedings. Defendants must be able to understand charges, follow the courtroom process, and engage meaningfully with counsel. While courts occasionally order medical evaluations, findings of permanent unfitness are exceptional. In 2023, for instance, Rwandan genocide suspect Félicien Kabuga was ruled unfit due to dementia, a case seen as unusual in global practice.
