The International Criminal Court (ICC) has confirmed that former President Rodrigo Duterte is under continuous monitoring inside his detention cell for health and safety reasons.

According to ICC Trial Chamber III, custody staff are authorized to observe Duterte 24 hours a day to respond quickly to any medical or security concerns and reduce response time in the event of an emergency.

The arrangement forms part of the court’s ongoing detention monitoring protocol.

“On rare occasions where Mr. Duterte did have a fall, ICC Detention Center custody staff were able to respond immediately to assist him and immediately call for medical assessment,” the ICC Registry said.

“There has not been any fall recorded in the last 30 days,” it added.

The ICC said “ergonomic adjustments” have also been made to Duterte’s cell and visiting room to improve mobility and ensure safer movement within the detention facility.

Duterte’s defense team said it intends to seek an independent medical evaluation before trial proceedings begin. His lawyers argued that while he may ultimately be declared fit to stand trial, additional assessment and sufficient preparation time are necessary.