The International Criminal Court (ICC) has sent a stark message to Philippine law enforcers linked to former president Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs: loyalty to superiors and claims of merely carrying out orders will not protect individuals from accountability for alleged crimes against humanity.
In a “lesser redacted” version of its charge sheet released by ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I, Duterte was identified as the “main suspect” in connection with the killings tied to his anti-drug campaign, which human rights groups estimate may have claimed up to 30,000 lives over six years.
The court document also named eight individuals as alleged “co-perpetrators” in the same case: Senator Rogelio “Bato” dela Rosa, Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, former justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, Vicente Danao, Camilo Cascolan, Oscar Albayalde, Dante Gierran, and Isidro Lapena.
Beyond those specifically listed, the chamber said that “other members of the PNP (Philippine National Police) and high-ranking government officials” were also considered co-perpetrators, raising the possibility that additional individuals could later be identified.
The ICC filing outlined what prosecutors described as a “national network” that expanded after Duterte assumed the presidency in 2016, portraying the campaign as a coordinated operation that allegedly resembled the Davao Death Squad model on a nationwide scale.
According to the ICC, police officers were not only allowed to kill suspects but were allegedly encouraged through incentives such as promotions and cash rewards. The filing cited payments ranging from P50,000 to P1 million for the killing of alleged “high-value targets.”
The charge sheet also referenced evidence suggesting that weapons, ammunition, and illegal drugs were routinely planted on victims to support claims that those killed had resisted arrest, challenging the official narrative that suspects died because they fought back or “nanlaban.”
While arrests may not happen immediately, the ICC’s decision to name senior officials in its filing marks a significant shift in how accountability may be pursued, particularly for those within the chain of command who were allegedly involved in planning or carrying out the operations.
The document emphasized that responsibility does not stop at the top, signaling that participation in state policy does not exempt individuals from criminal liability.
The filing comes as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration faces renewed attention on law enforcement accountability and the prospect of reforms in policing and justice institutions.
