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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider ICC prosecutors name 8 alleged Duterte co-perpetrators in drug war case

ICC prosecutors name 8 alleged Duterte co-perpetrators in drug war case

Published Feb 14, 2026 12:15 pm  |  Updated Feb 14, 2026 01:31 pm
File photos
File photos
Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have named eight alleged co-perpetrators of former president Rodrigo Duterte in a new filing detailing what they describe as a “Common Plan” to “neutralize” suspected criminals through murder.
In the 16-page Document Containing the Charges (DCC) dated Feb. 13, 2026, the ICC Office of the Prosecutor alleged that between November 2011 and March 2019, Duterte and a group of senior officials shared and implemented a coordinated plan that led to crimes against humanity.
Named in Paragraph 4 of the filing as central figures in the alleged plan are:
  • Former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa
  • Former National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) regional director Vicente Danao
  • Former NCRPO regional director Camilo Cascolan
  • Former PNP chief Oscar Albayalde
  • Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go
  • Former National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) director Dante Gierran
  • Former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency chief Isidro Lapeña
  • Former Department of Justice (DOJ) secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II
The document was submitted ahead of Duterte’s confirmation of charges hearing at The Hague later this month.

‘Common Plan’ to neutralize suspects

According to the prosecution, the alleged “Common Plan” involved targeting individuals perceived to be involved in illegal drugs and other crimes.
Dela Rosa is identified in the filing as having served as Davao City Police chief and later as PNP chief during the height of the anti-drug campaign.
Danao, Cascolan, and Albayalde are described as senior PNP officials who allegedly played roles in implementing the plan at various levels of police command.
Go is identified as Duterte’s longtime personal aide and later Special Assistant to the President.
Gierran, Lapeña, and Aguirre are likewise named in connection with roles in law enforcement and the justice sector during the relevant periods.
The prosecution alleges that the network that operated in Davao City — commonly referred to as the Davao Death Squad (DDS) — later served as a model for what it describes as a broader “National Network.”

Modes of liability

The charges outline multiple modes of individual criminal responsibility under the Rome Statute.
Prosecutors accuse Duterte of indirect co-perpetration under Article 25(3)(a), alleging he controlled a structure of power used to carry out killings.
He is also charged under Article 25(3)(b) for allegedly ordering or inducing crimes, and under Article 25(3)(c) for allegedly aiding and abetting through moral encouragement, logistical support, and protection from prosecution.
The filing alleges that police officers and other actors carried out killings within a hierarchical system in which refusal to comply could allegedly expose individuals to risk.

Three counts, 78 named victims

The DCC outlines three counts of crimes against humanity of murder, covering 78 named victims, while stating that the “actual scale of victimisation” was significantly broader.
Count 1 covers 19 killings in Davao City between 2013 and 2016, when Duterte was mayor.
Count 2 covers 14 alleged high-value targets killed between 2016 and 2017, including Rolando Espinosa Sr. and Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr.
Count 3 covers 45 victims across 35 incidents between 2016 and 2018, including the killing of 17-year-old Kian Loyd Delos Santos.
The prosecution alleges that financial incentives were offered in some operations and that perpetrators were shielded from accountability.

Confirmation hearing set

The document serves as the formal basis for the charges that the ICC will examine during the confirmation of charges hearing from Feb. 23 to 27.
At that stage, judges will determine whether there is sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that Duterte committed the crimes charged.
If one or more charges are confirmed, the case will proceed to trial before a Trial Chamber.
Duterte, arrested in March last year, has consistently denied wrongdoing in connection with his anti-drug campaign.

Related Tags

ICC President Duterte Rodrigo Duterte Ronald dela Rosa Bong Go
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