THE INTERNATIONAL Criminal Court (ICC) Trial Chamber III has officially ruled that former President Rodrigo Duterte is fit to stand trial.
In a decision dated Sept. 28, 2026, and made public on Oct. 8, 2026, the Chamber—composed of Presiding Judge Joanna Korner, Judge Keebong Paek, and Judge Nicolas Guillou—found the medical expert panel’s reports sufficiently conclusive to determine the former president’s capability to participate in legal proceedings and exercise his fair trial rights.
The Chamber formally rejected the Defense’s requests for additional medical assessments, an opportunity to question the expert panel, and an initial request for an oral hearing.
The judges upheld the panel’s unanimous medical evaluation that Duterte possesses the capacity to understand the proceedings and instruct his legal counsel with appropriate assistance.
While declaring him fit for trial, the ruling acknowledges Duterte’s physical frailty, age-related fatigue, and slowing pace.
Although initial test scores pointed to potential cognitive impairment, the expert panel noted that these results featured medical inconsistencies and underperformance that could not be fully explained from a clinical standpoint.
To ensure fair proceedings, the Chamber instructed the Registry to implement necessary support structures, including continuous medical and nursing monitoring, as well as flexible hearing arrangements.
The decision also maintains that a reassessment of fitness may be requested if the accused’s medical condition undergoes significant changes.
