Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte will remain in custody after the International Criminal Court (ICC) rejected his defence team’s request for medical release. The judges ruled that despite his health challenges, Duterte still poses a significant flight risk and could potentially influence witnesses if freed.
In the ruling dated October 10, the ICC stated that “Mr. Duterte’s detention continues to remain necessary,” emphasizing that his political influence and network, including his daughter and current vice president Sara Duterte, could help him evade justice. The 80-year-old former leader faces three counts of crimes against humanity linked to at least 76 murders during his controversial “war on drugs.”
Prosecutors allege that Duterte played a direct role in killings between 2013 and 2018, spanning his time as both Davao City mayor and president. He was arrested in Manila on March 11 and transferred to the ICC’s detention unit in the Netherlands, where he has appeared frail and largely unresponsive in court.
While his lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman, argued that Duterte’s cognitive decline makes him unfit for trial, the court said medical evidence presented was insufficient to justify release. The judges clarified that their decision concerns only the issue of detention and does not determine whether Duterte is medically fit to stand trial. The next phase — a confirmation of charges hearing — remains on hold pending further medical evaluation.
