ICC DENIES DUTERTE REQUEST TO DISCLOSE DOCTORS’ COMMUNICATIONS

The International Criminal Court’s Pre-Trial Chamber 1 has rejected former President Rodrigo Duterte’s request to access all communications between the ICC Registry and the independent panel of doctors who assessed his fitness to stand trial. The chamber said Duterte’s legal team already has all necessary information, including the experts’ reports and the instructions transmitted to them, and there is no reason to grant further disclosure. The panel of three doctors previously determined that, despite being frail and elderly, Duterte possesses the capacity to understand the proceedings and instruct his lawyers, making him fit for trial. The ruling follows Duterte’s lawyers’ attempt to seek an indefinite adjournment of pretrial hearings citing alleged cognitive impairments. He faces crimes against humanity charges at the ICC for thousands of killings during his tenure as Davao City mayor and Philippine president.