Former International Criminal Court (ICC) Judge Raul Pangalangan said the confirmation of charges hearing for former President Rodrigo Duterte in The Hague could still take place before the end of the year.
In a television interview, Pangalangan said the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I may soon rule on Duterte’s motion to suspend proceedings, citing his alleged unfitness to stand trial.
The ICC earlier postponed the hearing originally set for September 23, and later directed three medical experts to assess Duterte’s condition. Their findings were due October 31, with both the prosecution and victims’ counsel given five days to comment.
“I imagine the court will take one week, two weeks to resolve that. Come to think of it, they have the whole of November and early December to hold the confirmation hearings. Still possible, but you know we’re speculating,” Pangalangan said.
He added that if Duterte’s request is denied, the chamber could promptly move forward.
“For me, two weeks after the resolution should be fine because then we have to inform the parties, the parties will have to prepare. If it’s too short, then someone will complain that it’s not fair, especially the defense, and the court is really quite careful about that,” he explained.
Duterte, who was arrested in March, faces crimes against humanity charges over his administration’s bloody anti-drug campaign.