The International Criminal Court (ICC) has reported a growing number of individuals seeking recognition as victims in the crimes against humanity case filed against former president Rodrigo Duterte over his bloody war on drugs.
In a recent registry report submitted to Pre-Trial Chamber I, the court confirmed it has now received 322 applications. Of these, 18 applicants stated they are only pursuing reparations and will not be included at this stage of the proceedings. The remaining 304 applications include those from family members who claim to have suffered “psychological harm” after losing loved ones in anti-drug operations.
So far, 35 applications have been formally elevated to the Pre-Trial Chamber. However, specific details remain confidential and are not accessible to Duterte’s defense team.
Meanwhile, prosecutors and defense lawyers have agreed on several basic facts, including Duterte’s birthdate, birthplace, nationality, and the definition of a barangay as the Philippines’ smallest government unit. Both sides signed a joint submission published on the ICC website on Sept. 1.
Duterte appeared before the court for his pretrial last March, just two days after his arrest and transfer to The Hague. His confirmation of charges is set for Sept. 23.
The ICC investigation covers the period from November 2011—when Duterte was still mayor of Davao City—up to March 2019, when the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute took effect under his directive.
Government figures place the death toll from the drug war at more than 6,000. However, rights groups and ICC prosecutors estimate that the real number of lives lost between 2016 and 2019 could be between 12,000 and 30,000.
