PROSECUTORS at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have formally requested to admit the prior recorded testimonies of three key witnesses into evidence for the case against former President Rodrigo Duterte.
In a public filing dated Nov. 2, 2026, Trial Chamber III released a redacted version of the Prosecution’s seventh Rule 68(3) application to introduce recorded accounts and associated materials from witnesses identified as P-1097, P-1170, and P-1318.
According to the Prosecution, the witnesses’ statements directly detail the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) implementation of the anti-illegal drug campaign, the targeting of individuals on Duterte’s alleged “narco-list,” and the former president’s alleged individual criminal responsibility.
In a three-day recorded interview, witness P-1097 alleged that Oplan Tokhang involved summary killings rather than standard “knock and plead” police visits, claiming that warning placards were intentionally placed on some victims.
Meanwhile, witness P-1170’s statement addresses the rollout of the drug war following Duterte’s election, detailing public accusations made against suspected drug figures and their placement on the government’s target list.
A third witness, P-1318, detailed operations under Operation Double Barrel and Tokhang, alleging systematic cover-ups, evidence planting, and fabricated “nanlaban” (resisted arrest) police narratives.
The Prosecution argued that the three testimonies corroborate each other alongside anticipated witness evidence. Under Rule 68(3) of the ICC Rules of Procedure and Evidence, admitting prior recorded testimonies aims to shorten court proceedings, although supplementary questioning hours remain redacted in the filing.
All three witnesses are still expected to appear in court to confirm their recorded statements and face cross-examination by the defense.
