ICC bares charges vs. Duterte involving 78 victims in 49 incidents

The International Criminal Court has disclosed the criminal charges former President Rodrigo Duterte is facing before the tribunal involving 49 incidents of murder and attempted murder in his war on drugs as crimes against humanity when he was mayor of Davao City and as President of the Philippines.

The ICC released the public redacted version of the “Document Containing the Charges,” dated 4 July 2025, on September 22, or a day before his supposed confirmation of charges hearing in The Hague, which has since been postponed after his defense lawyer claimed that he was “not fit to stand trial.”

“The Prosecution charges the murders and attempted murders below, although the actual scale of victimization during the charged period was significantly greater, as reflected in the widespread nature of the attack,” read the document signed by ICC Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye NIang.

Count 1 involves murder as a crime against humanity in Davao City, of the 19 victims of nine incidents between 2013 and around 2016, when Duterte was mayor, as an indirect co-perpetrator, and/or by ordering and/or inducing, and/or aiding and abetting.

Count 2 involves murder as a crime against humanity of ‘high-value targets’ in locations across the Philippines of the 14 victims of five incidents when Duterte was President between around 2016 and 2017, as an indirect co-perpetrator, and/or by ordering and/or inducing, and/or aiding and abetting.

Count 3 involves murder and attempted murder as crimes against humanity in barangay clearance operations in locations across the Philippines of the 45 victims, 43 of which were killed, of Incidents 15 to 49, between when Duterte was President between around 2016 and  2018, as an indirect co-perpetrator, and/or by ordering and/or inducing, and/or aiding and abetting.

'Network of perpetrators'

"Together, Duterte and his co-perpetrators established a network of perpetrators comprising State actors such as law enforcement officers (including personnel from the PNP, PDEA, the NBI and the Bureau of Corrections (“BuCor”)), non-police assets and hitmen (together, “the National Network”), to operate in a similar manner as the DDS in conducting operations to kill alleged criminals in accordance with the Common Plan," the document said.

"Some of the victims were listed in the ‘PRRD List’ (referring to the initials of “President Rodrigo Roa Duterte”), with targets categorised by tier according to their assigned ‘value’ (Levels 1 to 5). Police who killed a target on the list could access a covert reward system (which existed outside of the regular formal rewards system) and receive a payment ranging from 50,000 to one million Philippine pesos, depending on the level of the target," it added.

In Count 1, the document said that the victims were each alleged to be criminals, such as drug pushers or thieves.

"The physical perpetrators of the murders in Count 1 meant to cause the victims’ deaths or were aware that their deaths would occur in the ordinary course of events," it said.

In Count 2, the victims were said to be individuals labelled as “high-value”, including for their alleged involvement in drug manufacturing or drug syndicates. 

The murders and attempted murders in Count 3 were "perpetrated by members of the National Network in locations across the Philippines during Duterte's presidency."

According to the document, the attacks were "widespread" and "systematic" and with a clear pattern of violence against a civilian population.–NB, GMA Integrated News