ICC: ‘Former Philippine President Duterte fit to stand trial’

The Hague (Netherlands), 26 Jan. (LaPresse/AP) – Judges at the International Criminal Court have ruled that former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is fit to stand trial, after postponing a previous hearing due to concerns about his health. Duterte is accused of crimes against humanity for his alleged involvement in dozens of killings as part of the so-called war on drugs while in office, first as mayor of a southern city and then as president. Lawyers for the 80-year-old politician had argued that Duterte was in poor health and that his condition was deteriorating in the court’s detention unit. Duterte was arrested in March and was due to appear in court in The Hague in September. The hearing was postponed after a preliminary jury granted a “limited adjournment” to give the court time to determine “whether Duterte is fit to stand trial and participate” in the proceedings. Following an assessment by a panel of medical experts, the judges found that Duterte ‘is capable of effectively exercising his procedural rights and is therefore fit to stand trial.’