The victims of the past administration’s deadly war on drugs expressed hope the International Criminal Court Pre-Trial Chamber will consider former President Rodrigo Duterte fit to stand trial and begin proceedings immediately.
In an interview with Manila Standard, ICC-accredited lawyer Gilbert Andres expressed confidence the Chamber will find Duterte fit to participate in the pre-trial proceedings.
“The victims of the war on drugs considered a positive development that the public redacted versions of observations by parties and participants point to the Expert Panel considering Mr. Duterte competent for the purpose of the pre-trial proceedings,” he said.
Andres, who is also the Executive Director of Center for International Law (CenterLaw), added: “We really hope that the Pre-Trial Chamber judicially finds Mr. Duterte fit to participate in the pre-trial proceedings and for the Chamber to schedule the confirmation of charges as soon as possible, in line with the victims’ rights to justice and to the truth under international law.”
In a separate report, ABS-CBN News said the Office of Public Counsel for Victims (OPCV) has urged the ICC to set the confirmation of charges hearing against Duterte “without further delay.”
In a confidential filing to Pre-Trial Chamber I, OPCV Principal Counsel Paolina Massidda said the experts’ reports showed no medical condition that would prevent Duterte from exercising his rights during the pre-trial phase.
“The relevant legal criteria for Mr. Duterte’s fitness to participate in the confirmation of charges hearings are fulfilled. There exist no obstacles that would prevent Mr. Duterte from meaningfully exercising his procedural rights,” the OPCV said in its submission.
The ICC ordered the medical evaluation after Duterte’s lawyers requested in August an indefinite adjournment of the case, citing concerns over their client’s health.
The ICC Registry appointed three medical experts in September and added a fourth the following month. The panel submitted its findings on Dec. 5.
The medical panel and the Detention Centre’s Medical Officer recommended limiting court attendance to four days a week with no more than two consecutive hearing days.
They also suggested starting sessions after 10 a.m., holding no more than two sessions per day, and keeping each session to 90 minutes with adequate breaks in between.
They recommended providing nutritious food suited to Duterte’s cultural preferences and offered guidance on how he should be questioned or provided information.
The prosecution concluded its submission by urging the Chamber to schedule the resumption of the confirmation of charges hearing “immediately.”
