Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s legal team has renewed its call for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to suspend proceedings against him, citing his deteriorating health and inability to participate in his defense.
A redacted version of the “defense request for an indefinite adjournment” was released this week, showing arguments made by lead counsel Atty. Nicholas Kaufman. The lawyer said Duterte can no longer understand the allegations against him nor follow the legal process in a way that would aid his defense.
According to the filing, Duterte struggles to recall events, locations, timelines, and even members of his own family. Kaufman added that the former president no longer understands why he is being held in a detention facility.
The defense maintained that submitted medical records sufficiently demonstrate Duterte’s condition, arguing that further medical evaluations are unnecessary.
Kaufman also noted that he has sought observations from the Kingdom of the Netherlands on whether Duterte could be accommodated should the court grant an interim release while his case is pending.
