Former President Rodrigo Duterte experienced “rare” incidents of falling inside his detention facility in The Hague, although no such incident has been recorded in the past 30 days, according to the International Criminal Court (ICC) Registry.
In a seven-page document dated May 13 and made public on Thursday, the ICC Registry said adjustments have been made inside Duterte's cell and visiting rooms to improve his comfort and mobility.
“Ergonomic adjustments are made to the placement of items in his cell and in the visiting rooms in order to allow him to have more free and stable movement,” the Registry said in its filing.
Following these incidents, the court’s administrative office explained that items in his detention area were modified to give him more stable and free movement, adding that no falls have been recorded in the last 30 days.
The ICC Registry submission was in response to the request of the defense for information regarding the former president’s condition while in detention.
Former lead defense counsel Nicholas Kaufman requested access to the surveillance footage from Duterte's cell, saying the former president had informed his legal team and immediate family about frequent falls due to loss of balance.
In its filing, the ICC Registry said Duterte's movements remain “consistent with his age and mobility,” noting that monitoring inside his cell helps improve his care and may continue to be reviewed regularly based on medical advice.
It added that any medical or ergonomic adjustments inside the detention facility are assessed internally based on recommendations from the Medical Officer, similar to other operational arrangements in the court.
Written by Saydie Noquera
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