MANILA, Philippines — The International Criminal Court (ICC) has ordered a medical examination of former president Rodrigo Duterte to determine whether he is fit to stand trial in connection with alleged crimes against humanity linked to his administration’s war on drugs. In a nine-page decision dated Oct. 16, 2025, the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I appointed a panel of three independent medical experts—a forensic psychiatrist, a neuropsychologist, and a geriatric and behavioral neurologist—to assess Duterte’s ability to participate meaningfully in pre-trial proceedings. The chamber, composed of Judges Iulia Antoanella Motoc, Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou, and María del Socorro Flores Liera, directed the Registry to facilitate the medical examination and provide the panel with Duterte’s complete medical records, some of which are in Dutch and to be translated into English by Oct. 10. The panel was instructed to submit its report to the court by October 31, while the prosecution, defense, and victims’ counsel may file their observations on the findings by Nov. 5. The ruling follows a defense motion filed in August seeking an indefinite suspension of proceedings, citing Duterte’s alleged deteriorating health. The chamber had postponed the confirmation of charges hearing “until further notice” while evaluating the former president’s condition. According to the ICC, the experts’ task is to determine whether Duterte suffers from any medical condition affecting his capacity to understand the charges and evidence against him and to instruct his counsel for the preparation and conduct of his defense. The court emphasized that the question of Duterte's fitness to stand trial was a legal determination based on whether the accused could effectively exercise his procedural rights, rather than on the existence of medical ailments per se. The decision forms part of the ongoing pre-trial proceedings in the case filed against Duterte, which investigates allegations of crimes against humanity arising from the thousands of deaths reported during the anti-drug campaign in the Philippines.