THE HAGUE — The International Criminal Court (ICC) has named former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s alleged co-perpetrators in the “common plan” linked to his controversial anti-drug campaign, according to a document released Friday.
The Document Containing the Charges (DCC) identifies high-ranking Philippine officials, including Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa, former Presidential aide and now Senator Bong Go, and other former police and justice officials as co-perpetrators allegedly involved in violent crimes, including murder, targeting alleged criminals between November 2011 and March 2019.
The DCC states that Duterte “ordered, induced, and aided” members of the Davao Death Squad (DDS) and associated networks to carry out killings during his tenure as Davao City Mayor and President. The charges cover three counts of crimes against humanity:
- Count 1: Murders in Davao City during Duterte’s mayoral period, involving 19 victims;
- Count 2: Murders of “High-Value Targets” nationwide during Duterte’s presidency, involving 14 victims;
- Count 3: Murders and attempted murders during barangay clearance operations, involving 45 victims.
Other officials named include former police chiefs Vicente Danao, Camilo Cascolan (deceased), Oscar Albayalde, Isidro Lapeña, Dante Gierran, Vitaliano Aguirre II, and other senior members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and law enforcement agencies.
In response, Senator Bong Go described the ICC filing as “unfounded” and “unfair,” asserting that he had no involvement or authority over the alleged acts during his tenure as Duterte’s aide and Presidential Management Staff chief. Duterte’s lead counsel, Atty. Nicholas Kaufman, emphasized that the identities of alleged co-perpetrators had been known for almost a year and denied any wrongdoing.
Advocacy group International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) called for the ICC to issue immediate arrest warrants for Duterte’s alleged co-perpetrators, citing risks of witness intimidation, evidence tampering, and potential flight.
The DCC was signed by ICC Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang. Duterte remains detained at the ICC Detention Center in Scheveningen, The Hague.
The ICC’s disclosure coincides with continued international scrutiny of Duterte’s war on drugs, which human rights groups have consistently condemned for widespread extrajudicial killings. Statements from other named officials, including Dela Rosa, Lapeña, Albayalde, Danao, and Aguirre, are still pending.
This development marks a significant escalation in the ICC’s investigation, potentially extending accountability beyond Duterte to his inner circle of police, military, and political aides.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
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