ICC Identifies 9 Co-Perpetrators in Duterte’s Drug War
ICC – The International Criminal Court has identified nine individuals as co-perpetrators alongside former President Rodrigo Duterte in the controversial war on drugs. This information was revealed in an application for a warrant of arrest, which was made public on the ICC’s website. However, for security reasons, the names of these individuals were redacted.
Despite this, certain figures were explicitly mentioned due to their roles in the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign. One of them is former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief and now Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa. He was recognized as the key figure behind “Oplan Tokhang,” an anti-drug operation first introduced in Davao City during his tenure as police chief. Vice President Sara Duterte was also referenced, primarily due to her connection with her father. She previously served as Davao City mayor from 2010 to 2013, while Duterte was vice mayor.
The ICC document outlines various types of evidence supporting the case, including witness testimonies, Duterte’s public statements and speeches, government-issued documents, and the drug watch list. It also highlights several of Duterte’s public admissions, such as his claim of killing 1,700 people during his time as mayor, his alleged involvement in and funding of the Davao Death Squad (DDS), and his statement that his “only sin” was conducting extrajudicial killings (EJKs). Additionally, the application references his remarks during his presidential inauguration in 2016, where he warned of killing those involved in illegal drugs.
Lawyers representing drug war victims are handling a total of 6,000 cases. However, only 43 will be presented before the ICC—19 from Duterte’s time as Davao City mayor and 24 from his presidency. These selected cases best illustrate the violence and brutality of the drug war.
Attorney Gilbert Andres explained that presenting all 6,000 deaths officially recorded in police operations—or the estimated 15,000 to 30,000 deaths reported by civil society organizations—would be impractical. Therefore, the ICC prosecutor exercised discretion in selecting cases that best represent the severity of the alleged crimes.
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