ICC declares former President Rodrigo Duterte fit to stand trial

AMSTERDAM- Judges at the International Criminal Court have found that former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is fit to stand trial, the court said on Thursday.

Duterte, 81, is due to go on trial on November 30 to face ​charges of murder and attempted murder as crimes against humanity related to ​his war on drugs.

Judges said a panel of medical experts concluded Duterte is able to effectively exercise his fair trial rights in the proceedings and is therefore fit to stand trial.

The experts found Duterte has some physical and mental slowing in line with his overall age and frailty, but said he could understand the trial and assist his defence.

Lawyers for the former Philippine leader had argued that he suffers from cognitive decline and thus ⁠is ​not well enough ​to stand trial.

Prosecutors say Duterte was criminally responsible for the deaths of at least 76 people during his anti-narcotics campaign, which they say killed thousands of civilians broadly between 2016 and 2022.

In February, Nicholas Kaufman, then Duterte's lawyer, said the charges had been politically motivated.

Trials at the ICC, the world's only permanent war crimes court, generally last several years before reaching a judgment

If convicted, Duterte faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

- Stephanie Van Den Berg, editing by Inti Landauro and Xevi Fontdegloria/Reuters