ICC Trims One Incident From Rodrigo Duterte's Case as China Denies Blocking Ayungin Medical Evacuation
Two items with international dimensions led Philippine coverage on October 11. The Manila Times reported that the International Criminal Court's Trial Chamber III has ordered prosecutors to remove one alleged incident — Incident 57 — from the case against former president Rodrigo Duterte, after finding it fell outside the time frame of a confirmed charge, while rejecting the defense's broader challenge to the form of the charges. The decision, dated October 9, directed the prosecution to update its witness list, evidence list and trial brief by October 16 to reflect the removal.
A companion ICC ruling had been made public on October 8: the chamber found the elder Duterte fit to stand trial, rejecting defense claims that he cannot effectively participate, and refused additional medical examinations while allowing accommodations such as hourly breaks and hearing aids. Together the rulings mean the Hague proceedings continue on procedure, with the prosecution's incident list trimmed by one.
The day's other lead came from the South China Sea: China denied that its coast guard intentionally obstructed a Philippine Coast Guard medical evacuation at Ayungin Shoal, accusing Manila of distorting the facts. The Philippine side said that on October 8, China Coast Guard vessel 5306 delayed the evacuation by nearly 10 hours, using a water cannon on a Philippine ship. Standoffs at the shoal have recurred for years, and a disputed medical evacuation adds a fresh friction point.
The ICC rulings are procedural steps, with the substantive trial still ahead, and the shoal incident remains contested by both sides, pending official documents and statements from each capital.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：位于海牙的国际刑事法院大楼。摄影：Choinowski，CC BY-SA 4.0，取自 Wikimedia Commons
