Ched Rick Gatchalian

Former President Rodrigo Duterte. Ace Morandante, Presidential Photo/File

 

Article (news)

ICC-accredited lawyer says Duterte children attesting to his fitness outweighs medical review

ABS-CBN News

<div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1757729842832172819998620420220426-duterte-talk-to-the-people-mnib3-2.webp" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Former President Rodrigo Duterte. Ace Morandante, Presidential Photo/File</span></span></span></div><p style="text-align:left">MANILA — Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s &quot;behavioral evidence&quot; outweighs medical findings in proving his fitness to stand trial, an ICC-listed counsel and victim’s legal representative said Saturday, citing the Duterte children&#x27;s statements attesting to his good health.</p><p>This comes as the International Criminal Court <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/8/icc-postpones-duterte-s-confirmation-of-charges-hearing-1938">postponed the hearing on the confirmation of charges against Duterte</a> this week, following a request from the defense team for an indefinite adjournment as they claimed the former Philippine leader is unfit for trial.</p><p>But ICC-accredited lawyer Joel Butuyan said medical findings alone cannot prove the defense&#x27;s claim.</p><p>&quot;Ang pinakamabigat na evidence is &#x27;yung behavioral evidence ni Mr. Duterte. And makikita natin ito sa mga kamag-anak na bumibisita sa kaniya. Ilang beses na nagpa-interview &#x27;yung mga anak niya na sinasabi nila na okay si Mr. Duterte at nagjo-joke pa nga sila. Pinag-uusapan nila ang past, present at future. Sinabi niyang wala siyang regret sa ginawa niya and he is willing to face whatever the consequences are,&quot; he explained in an interview on DZMM.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/2/sara-duterte-says-barred-from-revealing-more-info-about-icc-visits-1000">&#x27;I can only say he’s alive&#x27;: Sara Duterte says barred from revealing more info about ICC visits</a></div><p>&quot;Ito &#x27;yung mas mabigat na ebidensya na si Mr. Duterte na alam niya &#x27;yung nangyayari and alam niya &#x27;yung ginawa niya,&quot; Butuyan added.</p><p>Veronica “Kitty” Duterte, the youngest daughter of the accused, assured the public that his father is &quot;alive and well&quot; in an interview posted on former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque&#x27;s Facebook page on September 9.</p><p>In another video on Roque&#x27;s page in August, Kitty also said her father insisted he has no regrets over his actions during his term as he did it &quot;for this country&quot;.</p><p>Asked if Kitty and other relatives&#x27; comments on Duterte&#x27;s health matter in the case, Butuyan answered in affirmative.</p><p>&quot;Tingin ko malakas na ebidensya &#x27;yan kasi nanggagaling &#x27;yan sa mga tao na kung sasabihin natin na dapat pinaka-bias in favor of the former President dahil sarili niyang mga anak na ito, and the fact that they are practically attesting to the mental fitness to their father. It trumps yung mental findings ng mga doktor,&quot; he said.</p><p>Since Duterte was detained at the ICC detention facility center in The Hague, Netherlands —<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/27/all-4-duterte-children-visit-detained-father-rodrigo-at-the-hague-0133"> all four of Duterte&#x27;s children had already visited him.</a></p><div><br/></div><div><strong>DELAYING JUSTICE?</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Butuyan said the disappointment of families of extrajudicial killings (EJKs) victims over the ICC&#x27;s move is justified.</p><p>He mentioned that the victims had already witnessed Duterte’s defense repeatedly attempt to disqualify judges, the ICC itself, and the prosecutors in recent months.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/5/conflict-of-interest-duterte-legal-team-challenges-prosecutor-s-ties-to-some-victims-1001">Conflict of interest? Duterte legal team challenges prosecutor&#x27;s ties to some victims</a></div><p>&quot;Hindi natin masisisi &#x27;yung mga biktima na ganoon na nga &#x27;yung intensyon behind the motion of the defense dahil talaga nakita natin sa estratehiya ng defense na halos pinapa-disqualify na lahat,&quot; the lawyer said. &quot;Para talagang invocation of technicality para mapigilan &#x27;yung trial at pagtestigo sa ICC.&quot;</p><p>Butuyan noted that it is also possible for the defense to argue against the validity of the victims&#x27; testimonies.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;NORMAL&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>He also said the claims that Duterte suffers problems in cognitive functions is only &quot;normal&quot; for an 80-year old senior citizen.</p><p>&quot;Sa akin, &#x27;yung sinasabi nilang cognitive impairment saka declining memory, e parang dini-describe lang nila &#x27;yung normal na 80 years old. Normal talaga sa matanda na declining ang memory at executive, physical functioning. Para sa akin walang abnormal doon, ang question is does it affect to fitness to face trial? Alam ba niya &#x27;yung nangyayari sa trial at makakapagbigay ba siya ng testimonya?&quot; he stressed.</p><p>Butuyan said the medical staff assigned to the ICC&#x27;s detention facility had so far &quot;praised&quot; Duterte.</p><p>The prosecutor&#x27;s panel, meanwhile, <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/12/icc-prosecutor-seeks-independent-medical-review-on-duterte-1838">wants independent medical review </a>as they casted doubts on medical reports submitted by the defense.</p><p>&quot;Sabi ng prosecution, kami ay magdadala rin ng sariling medical expert and sabi nila &#x27;yung korte, can exercise the discretion ng independent medical expert to do its own findings,&quot; Butuyan explained.</p><p>&quot;Ebidensya at opinyon lang ang findings, ang mangingibabaw dito ay sariling analysis ng mga judges base sa iba&#x27;t ibang ebidensya,&quot; he emphasized.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/13/13-rallies-recorded-in-metro-manila-during-black-friday-protests-pnp-0853https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/17/grueling-trial-expected-for-duterte-says-icc-accredited-lawyer-2102">‘Grueling’ trial expected for Duterte, says ICC-accredited lawyer</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;IMPOSSIBLE&#x27; TO BE BROUGHT BACK TO PH, BUT...</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Now that the Philippines is no longer part of the ICC since its withdrawal in 2019 during Duterte&#x27;s term, an interim release in the Philippines is &quot;nearly impossible&quot;, according to Butuyan.</p><p>He said the call to bring the former leader home is merely “political actions” aimed at keeping his supporters mobilized for the upcoming 2028 elections.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/3/24/-bring-him-home-duterte-supporters-urge-icc-to-release-ex-president-1243">&#x27;Bring him home!&#x27; Duterte supporters urge ICC to release ex-president</a></div><p>&quot;Ang apela sa pagbalik ay di part ng on-going trial sa ICC. That&#x27;s a political action. They&#x27;re just keeping the interest of DDS, nagiging rally point &#x27;yan hanggang 2028 election. Kahit anong gawin apela ng mga DDS kay BBM, korte ang magsasabi kung papabalikin siya sa Pilipinas. Malabong mangyari &#x27;yun na dahil hindi na tayo ICC member. Magkaka-interim release lang sa ICC if member. Si Mr. Duterte inalis tayo mismo sa ICC,&quot; he said.</p><p>Butuyan said the defense team has supposedly mentioned an unnamed country that showed interest to accommodate Duterte if interim release is granted.</p><p>He added that based on their &quot;recent findings&quot;, the Duterte&#x27;s defense team is eyeing Netherlands as a possible host.</p><p>&quot;Tinatanong nila &#x27;yung Netherlands, ang direksyon willing ba &#x27;yung Netherlands just in case mabigyan ng interim release si Mr. Duterte,&quot; he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2025/9/12/icc-prosecutor-opposes-duterte-s-request-for-interim-release-anew-2251">ICC prosecutor opposes Duterte’s request for interim release anew</a></div><p>Duterte&#x27;s confirmation hearing was initially scheduled for September 23 but a new date has yet to be set.</p><p>Duterte is charged with committing crimes against humanity over his administrations&#x27; bloody drug war.</p><p>Asked if Duterte would be released should he be declared unfit for trial, Butuyan responded: &quot;Hindi naman necessarily permanent ang mental fitness. They can revisit their findings in 12 months.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CEdLODJzwbY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>ICC-accredited lawyer Joel Butuyan said medical findings alone cannot prove the defense's claim, especially after Duterte's children said he was in good health. </p>

ICC-accredited lawyer Joel Butuyan said medical findings alone cannot prove the defense's claim, especially after Duterte's children said he was in good health.

'Sabi nila okay': Lawyer says Duterte kin statements outweigh defense 'unfit' claim

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'Sabi nila okay': Lawyer says Duterte kin statements outweigh defense 'unfit' claim

Ched Rick Gatchalian,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 13, 2025 11:30 AM PHT

Read More:

Rodrigo Duterte

ICC

International Criminal Court

Drug war

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