- ICC online document details Duterte’s murder and attempted murder charges
THE REDACTED International Criminal Court document surfaced online, which outlined several details of murder and attempted murder charges in connection to the crimes against humanity faced by former President Rodrigo Duterte.
A confidential document filed on Sept. 22, 2025, alleges that Duterte is criminally responsible for these acts as an “indirect co-perpetrator”.
The charges stem from a “Common Plan” that allegedly aimed to “neutralize” criminals and individuals associated with drug use or production through violent crimes.
The document claims this plan was first developed at a local level in Davao City during Duterte’s mayoral period before being expanded nationwide during his presidency.
The three counts of charges are:
- Count 1: Murders in Davao City. This count alleges Duterte is criminally responsible for the murder of 19 victims during his time as mayor, from 2013 to 2016. The victims were said to be “alleged criminals” such as drug pushers or thieves. The document states that Duterte, as the “Head of the DDS” (Davao Death Squad), had final approval for killings conducted by DDS members. The DDS was described as a hierarchical structure that used Davao City police and non-police hitmen to carry out the killings.
- Count 2: Murders of ‘High-Value Targets.’ This count involves the murder of 14 victims who were labeled as “high-value targets” or “drug lords”. The document claims that during the presidential period (2016-2017), a “National Network” of perpetrators—including personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and Bureau of Corrections (BuCor)—operated similarly to the DDS. Police who killed a target on the “PRRD List” could allegedly receive payments ranging from ₱50,000 to ₱1 million.
- Count 3: Murders and Attempted Murders in Barangay Clearance Operations. This count charges Duterte with the murder and attempted murder of 45 victims who were allegedly “lower-level” criminals. These acts were said to have been perpetrated across the Philippines between 2016 and 2018.
The prosecution’s document asserted that the alleged killings were “widespread and systematic,” and extended for a prolonged period.
The charges said that Duterte contributed to these crimes by designing and disseminating the policy to “neutralize” alleged criminals, instructing and authorizing violent acts, and offering financial incentives to perpetrators.
The ICC filing is currently confidential to protect victims and witnesses, but a public, redacted version is expected to be released as soon as possible.
“Barangay Clearance Operations” killings
A newly unsealed document from the International Criminal Court (ICC) gave a granular look into the alleged crimes against humanity committed during Duterte’s “war on drugs.”
The filing, a “Document Containing the Charges” (DCC), detailed 18 specific incidents that form part of the third count against the former Philippine leader.
The incidents, which took place from 2017 to 2018, showed alleged murders and attempted murders carried out by Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel and non-police assets in locations across the Philippines.
The document labels these as “barangay clearance operations,” targeting what it describes as “lower-level” criminals.
The charges, signed by Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang, held Rodrigo Duterte criminally responsible for the deaths of at least 43 victims.
The DCC alleges that Duterte is responsible for these crimes under various forms of individual criminal responsibility, including indirect co-perpetration, ordering, inducing, and aiding and abetting.
The incidents listed in the document include:
Shootings and Strangulations: The filing lists multiple instances where PNP personnel are alleged to have shot and killed individuals identified as “alleged drug users” or “drug pushers.”
In some cases, the document points to more brutal methods, with multiple incidents of strangulation also being cited.
Targets of the Campaign: The victims are consistently described as alleged drug users, drug pushers, and thieves. In one case, the document refers to the killing of an “alleged thief and drug user,” while another mentions an “alleged drug thief.”
The recurring language across the incidents suggests a consistent and targeted policy.
Geographic Scope: While some incidents are noted in Manila and Quezon City, a significant number of the detailed events, from Incident 32 to Incident 47, are listed as occurring in or around Bulacan, highlighting a concentration of these alleged crimes in that province.
The ICC document emphasized that the murders and attempted murders were perpetrated by a “National Network” of state and non-state actors who were allegedly controlled by Duterte and his “co-perpetrators.”
Meanwhile, the camp of the former president has yet to issue a statement regarding the matter.
