The International Criminal Court (ICC) has identified nine individuals as co-perpetrators alongside former President Rodrigo Duterte in its investigation into the Philippine government’s war on drugs. The application for a warrant of arrest, posted on the ICC’s website, redacted most names for security reasons but publicly identified key figures linked to the anti-drug campaign.
Among those named was former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief and now Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, recognized as the chief architect of Oplan Tokhang, first enforced in Davao City when he served as its police chief. Former Davao City Police chief Vicente Danao was also mentioned, having preceded Dela Rosa in the role.
Vice President Sara Duterte was also referenced in relation to her father, as she served as Davao City mayor from 2010 to 2013 while Rodrigo Duterte was vice mayor.
The ICC document detailed various forms of evidence, including witness testimonies, public speeches, official memoranda, and documents from law enforcement agencies. It also cited Duterte’s own public admissions, such as his claim of killing 1,700 people as Davao City mayor, his alleged ties to the Davao Death Squad, and his statement that his “only sin” was ordering extrajudicial killings.
Lawyers representing drug war victims are handling around 6,000 cases but will present only 43 to the ICC—19 from Duterte’s tenure as Davao City mayor and 24 from his presidency. Attorney Gilbert Andres explained that only emblematic cases highlighting the campaign’s brutality were selected, as presenting the full scale of the alleged killings would be impractical.
The ICC’s investigation continues to face resistance from the Philippine government, which has refused to cooperate with the court, arguing that it lacks jurisdiction over the country.
