Duterte's medical report by ICC 'received' but still confidential, says Kaufman

The legal team of former president Rodrigo Duterte said it has received the report of the International Criminal Court’s accredited panel of experts on the former president’s medical condition.

“The reports have been received, but their content is confidential at present,” Duterte’s lead counsel, Atty. Nicholas Kaufman told GMA Integrated News in response to a request for a statement.

He added that the reports have been released “Only to the Defence and to the Court” for now.

GMA Integrated News has asked the ICC when the report will be made public.

The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I previously set December 5 as the deadline for the panel of experts to submit a report on Duterte’s medical examination, following the defense’s request for an indefinite adjournment in the proceedings.

In a majority decision, the Pre-Trial Chamber I “considered that a limited postponement of the hearing on the confirmation of charges was warranted to allow sufficient time to adjudicate the request and related matters.”

It also ordered the ICC Registry to submit a shortlist of experts to evaluate the former president’s medical condition. 

The current panel, based on documents published on November 14, includes three neuropsychiatry experts.  

The chamber previously revoked the appointment of two experts, one of whom was removed over his “social media activity” that “renders him unsuitable to act as an expert in the Panel”. The other failed to inform the Registry of being “presently under active suspension”, rendering her assignment “such that it is inappropriate and impossible to proceed” with evaluating Duterte.

Kaufman told GMA Integrated News in a previous interview that they would submit their reply to the findings of the medical experts’ panel on or before December 12.

The ICC denied Duterte’s interim release appeal on November 28.—LDF, GMA Integrated News