January 27, 2026
MANILA – The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) Pre-Trial Chamber I found former President Rodrigo Duterte fit to take part in the pre-trial proceedings on his crimes against humanity case, scheduling the commencement of the confirmation of charges hearing against the ex-chief executive on February 23, 2026.
The chamber made public its decision in a 25-page ruling dated January 26, rejecting defense’s request for an indefinite adjournment of the proceedings over Duterte’s alleged cognitive impairment.
The chamber said it appointed a panel of three medical experts to undertake a medical examination of Duterte and received the panel’s reports on December 5, 2025, on which the prosecution, the defense and the Office of Public Counsel for Victims submitted observations.
With the medical assessment of the independent experts composing the panel, and all of the relevant circumstances of the case, the Chamber said it was satisfied that Duterte is able effectively to exercise his procedural rights and is therefore fit to take part in the pre-trial proceedings, which are thereby resumed.
“The Chamber rejected the Defence’s request for an indefinite adjournment and set the date of the commencement of the confirmation of charges hearing for February 23, 2026,” said ICC in a separate statement issued on Monday.
It then noted that an order setting the schedule and directions for the hearing on the confirmation of charges will be issued in due course, including instructions regarding measures that the medical reports have recommended to facilitate Duterte’s participation.
“The purpose of such [a] hearing is to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that the person committed each of the crimes charged. If one or more of the charges are confirmed, the case will be transferred to a trial chamber, which will conduct the subsequent phase of the proceedings: the trial,” it added.
In a text message to reporters, Caroline Maurel, Outreach Officer from the Public Information and Outreach Section at the ICC, said the judges have yet to decide whether Duterte’s participation on February 23 will be physical or virtual.
Maurel, however, assured the public that the chamber will issue an order setting the schedule and directions for the hearing on the confirmation of charges in due course.
“Those directions will include instructions on the taking of measures that the medical reports have recommended to ensure that any medical condition that Mr Duterte has can appropriately be addressed during the pre-trial proceedings,” she said.
READ: ICC rejects Duterte’s request to appeal ruling on trial fitness review
The ICC currently has custody of Duterte after he was arrested and sent to The Hague for crimes against humanity he allegedly committed during his administration’s bloody war against drugs.
The anti-drug campaign dubbed as Oplan Tokhang left at least 6,000 people dead but human rights groups have reported at least 20,000 killed. /apl /jpv