ICC rejects Rody’s bid for disclosure of medical info

Pretrial judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) have rejected the request of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s lawyers for information regarding communications involving medical experts appointed to assess his fitness to stand trial.

- By JANVIC MATEO

In a five-page decision, the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I said the defense has “all the necessary information” regarding the ICC Registry’s interactions with the experts and the instructions on the basis of which they prepared their reports.

"Without further substantiation from the defense, the disclosure of 'all communications between the Registry and the three experts' is not warranted," read the decision signed by all three pre-trial judges.

Duterte's lawyer Nicholas Kaufman had requested the judges to direct the ICC Registry to disclose all communications it had with the three medical experts.

The prosecution and the victims' counsel have urged the pre-trial chamber to declare Duterte fit to stand trial, based on the reports submitted by the medical experts.

The judges have yet to issue their decision on the matter.

Rody has long hair