International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutors have brought charges against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte for crimes against humanity, alleging he orchestrated thousands of murders during the grisly anti-drug campaign that has come to define his presidential legacy. The charges must be approved by the Pre-Trial Chamber.

In documents released Sept. 22, prosecutors accuse Duterte of directing killings from 2011 to 2019, first as mayor of Davao City and later as president. They allege that as mayor he established "liquidation squads," collectively known as the Davao Death Squad, and expanded such operations nationwide after taking office as president in 2016.

The filing details 49 specific murder allegations, though human rights organizations estimate more than 12,000 suspected drug users and dealers were killed during the campaign's first 18 months alone. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have concluded the widespread killings constituted crimes against humanity.

Victims were predominantly from poor families, and included those targeted in "Operation Tokhang" house-to-house sweeps. Prosecutors claim Duterte promised financial rewards for killings and assured perpetrators they would face no consequences, citing his public statements encouraging police to "go out and kill" suspected criminals.

Rights groups have documented a pattern of police fabricating incident reports and planting weapons and drugs on victims' bodies while claiming self-defense.

Although killings have decreased under current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., drug-related police killings continue to be reported.

The Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019 following the investigation's launch, but the court maintains jurisdiction over crimes committed before the withdrawal took effect. Duterte was arrested by Interpol in Manila in March, and turned over to the ICC at The Hague, Netherlands.

The documents released this week constitute the prosecution's formal presentation of evidence and legal arguments, requesting that ICC judges confirm the charges. The charges must be approved before trial can proceed.

From JURIST, Sept. 23. Used with permission.

See our last report on the case against Duterte.