(Photo by PNA)
An independent civilian group said the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision declaring former President Rodrigo Duterte fit to stand trial removes what it described as the final obstacle to his scheduled November 30 hearing.
Truth Commission spokesperson and commissioner Carlos Conde said Friday that the ruling means Duterte’s health condition can no longer be cited as grounds for delaying the proceedings.
“The ruling means Duterte will answer the charges against him, and the families of those killed during his antidrug campaign will finally see the evidence laid out in open court,” Conde said.
He cited the unanimous findings of an independent panel of medical experts that Duterte could understand the proceedings and assist his lawyers in preparing his defense.
The ICC Trial Chamber III issued its ruling on September 28 after reviewing medical assessments that found no evidence of deterioration in Duterte’s mental condition or cognitive abilities.
The panel also reported that the former president’s general physical health appeared to have been optimized, with signs of improvement compared with its previous assessment.
Conde said the proceedings would provide an opportunity to examine evidence surrounding deaths linked to the Duterte administration’s anti-illegal drugs campaign.
He added that the court proceedings would establish an official record of the allegations and evidence presented, regardless of the eventual verdict.
