Joselito Malig

Article (news)

Bea Cuadra

ABS-CBN News

MANILA - The legal team representing the victims in the International Criminal Court (ICC) case against former Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has weighed in on the critical selection of medical experts who will determine his &quot;overall fitness to stand trial.&quot;In a filing dated November 10, 2025, the Office of Public Counsel for Victims (OPCV) submitted its observations to Pre-Trial Chamber I, endorsing two specific professionals from a new shortlist of experts in neuropsychology.Paolina Massidda, the Principal Counsel for the OPCV, who acts as the Legal Representative for the potential victims, stated that upon review, she &quot;considers that [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] possess the relevant credentials and expertise for being appointed in the Panel to undertake the medical examination of Mr Duterte.&quot;The OPCV’s observations outlined specific qualifications that made the two un-named individuals the preferred choices to join the panel.The counsel explained that the experts were deemed most suitable due to their professional experience, particularly their &quot;respective specialisations in the field(s) pertaining to the precise legal issue at hand – the determination of an individual’s overall fitness to stand trial.&quot;The Legal Representative also highlighted practical elements to ensure the pre-trial proceedings, including the confirmation of charges hearing, could be conducted efficiently. The document noted that because Mr. Duterte is able to fluently communicate in English, the fact that the two experts are [REDACTED] is considered &quot;preferable for the selection and appointment in the circumstances of the case.&quot; “The fact that they also [REDACTED] was noted as an additional advantage since some of the medical reports had originally been written in [REDACTED],” as stated in the document. The court had previously appointed an initial three-member panel on September 24, 2025. However, this was quickly followed by a request from the Defense seeking to revoke the appointment of one of those experts—an action referred to as the &quot;Disqualification Request.&quot;This challenge prompted the Pre-Trial Chamber to issue an order on October 3, 2025, demanding that the Registry submit a shortlist of new experts in neuropsychology.The OPCV&#x27;s observations were filed just one day before the deadline, responding to the latest materials submitted by the Registry. “The Chamber instructed the parties and the Legal Representative to file their responses to the Registry’s Second Observations and the Second Shortlist by 15 October 2025,” the document stated.Duterte was arrested on March 11  on his arrival from Hong Kong at the request of the ICC as part of its probe into his &quot;war on drugs&quot; that defined his presidency.The ICC warrant for Duterte&#x27;s arrest said that as president, Duterte allegedly created, funded, and armed death squads that carried out murders of purported drug users and dealers.He was brought to The Hague in the Netherlands on the same day he was arrested.Duterte on March 14 appeared via video link before ICC judges. Duterte’s confirmation of charges hearing, which was supposed to be held last September 23, was postponed to a later date, citing a request from Duterte&#x27;s defense team. The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber has rejected the request of Duterte&#x27;s defense team for his interim release.<div> </div><div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qXBleBgGKkA??si=T8ugffvJKF_4-Cpa&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> </div>

The legal team representing the victims in the International Criminal Court (ICC) case against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has weighed in on the critical selection of medical experts who will determine his "overall fitness to stand trial."

The legal team representing the victims in the International Criminal Court (ICC) case against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has weighed in on the critical selection of medical experts who will determine his "overall fitness to stand trial."

Drug war victims’ counsel urges appointment of 2 experts for Duterte’s fitness exam

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

Nation

Drug war victims’ counsel urges appointment of 2 experts for Duterte’s fitness exam

Bea Cuadra,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 11, 2025 02:06 AM PHT

Read More:

Rodrigo Duterte

ICC

EJK

war on drugs

ABSnews

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.