IN A rare moment of procedural consensus, the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecution and the defense team of former President Rodrigo Duterte have jointly submitted agreed instructions to guide independent experts in evaluating his fitness to stand trial.
The public filing, dated June 3, 2026, under Trial Chamber III, is titled “Joint Defence and Prosecution Submission on Instructions for the Assessment of Mr Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s Fitness to Stand Trial.”
The submission comes on the heels of the Trial Chamber’s approval of an official medical examination request.
The move marks a critical step forward as the international tribunal officially prepares to gauge the former leader’s capacity to participate in the ongoing proceedings regarding the situation in the Republic of the Philippines (The Prosecutor v. Rodrigo Roa Duterte).
Presiding over the matter are Trial Chamber III Judges Joanna Korner (Presiding Judge), Keebong Paek, and Nicolas Guillou.
Legal observers note that while the core of the case remains highly contentious, this joint submission represents a rare instance of mutual procedural compliance between both parties, ensuring that the parameters for the independent medical experts are clearly defined before the formal evaluation begins.
