MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte is suffering from cognitive deficiencies and is unable to recall events, places and even members of his close family and defense team, his legal counsel Nicholas Kaufman told the International Criminal Court.
In a 13-page document dated Sept. 11, Kaufman explained why Duterte’s team is seeking the adjournment of all legal proceedings in the former president’s case indefinitely, citing his deteriorating health.
“Mr. Duterte is not fit to stand trial as a result of cognitive impairment in multiple domains. Mr. Duterte’s condition will not improve and, for this reason, the Pre-Trial Chamber must adjourn all legal proceedings in his case indefinitely,” Kaufman said.
He argued that the medical information collected leads to the “overwhelming conclusion” that Duterte suffers from significant cognitive deficiencies that affect his memory, daily executive functioning, visuo-constructive abilities and orientation to place and time, while also “limiting his capacity for complex reasoning.”
…The ICC earlier decided to postpone the commencement hearing of the case, which was originally scheduled for Sept. 23.
The chamber will issue a new scheduling order with a specific date for the hearing in due course.
In a decision that disappointed drug war victims, the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) Pretrial Chamber 1 postponed the much-awaited confirmation of charges hearings that were supposed to start on Sept. 23, 2025. The chamber ordered the postponement to first hold hearings on former president Rodrigo Duterte’s motion for the suspension of proceedings, allegedly because he is not fit to stand trial.
…From the time he was brought to The Hague and until a gag order was imposed on them only recently, Duterte’s family members have been regularly visiting him several times a month. After every visit, these family members publicly speak about their conversations with and observations about their patriarch. His family members have shared how the ex-president has given them personal advice, commented on current events in the Philippines, and even shared jokes with them.
On July 8, 2025, after visiting her father in The Hague, Vice President Sara Duterte shared with the public that, “He’s okay, in a very good mood today.” The father teased his daughter by telling her, “Your arm is twice the size of mine—one of your arms is like two of mine.” The VP stated that her father was not experiencing any major health problems, was being held in the regular detention area, and was not in the hospital wing at the ICC. “So far, he said he’s not feeling anything, so he’s okay on that note,” she said.
In a very telling revelation of how perfectly mentally fit the ex-president is in his comprehension of his past deeds, his present lack of remorse, and his understanding of the future consequences that he potentially faces, the VP quoted her father as follows: “I did what I had to for my country, and I have no regrets about what I did.”
On Aug. 15, 2025, Kitty Duterte shared that the ex-president was “livelier and sharper now,” and that there were more laughs than usual after she visited her father. He offered her fatherly advice and told her not to entertain suitors, the daughter said.
On Aug. 29, 2025, all four Duterte children visited their father. In their public statements, they said that they conversed with their father about their personal lives and that they “discussed what’s happening now and what could possibly happen tomorrow or three years from now” in the Philippines.
A person may feign behavior that will yield results he/she desperately desires when faced with strangers and, most especially, in the presence of mental health experts. But a father will always reveal his true mental fitness when he dispenses his advice, gives his views, and shares his jokes in the privacy and presence of his children.
https://opinion.inquirer.net/185987/is-duterte-unfit-to-face-trial
Mr. Duterte is a very good actor and has been nominated for a FAMAS Philippines award in a brand-new 2025 category, Best Actor in a Reality TV News Event.
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