ICC Accuses Philippine Senators and Officials as Duterte Co-Perpetrators in Drug War Crimes
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has formally named Senators Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa and Christopher "Bong" Go, along with six other high-ranking officials, as co-perpetrators with former President Rodrigo Duterte in alleged crimes against humanity committed during the implementation of the controversial Philippine drug war. This significant development comes from official documents released by the ICC prosecutor's office, which detail the roles these individuals allegedly played in what the court describes as a "Common Plan" to neutralize alleged criminals through violent means.
Detailed List of Named Co-Perpetrators
According to the ICC's Document Containing the Charges (DCC), the following individuals have been identified alongside the two senators:
- Vitaliano Aguirre II – Former Secretary of the Department of Justice (July 2016-April 2018) and legal counsel for Duterte and alleged Davao Death Squad members
- Vicente Danao – Former Davao City Police Chief (2013-2016) who later served in multiple high-ranking PNP positions including Manila Police District Director
- Camilo Cascolan – Former PNP Directorate for Operations chief (2016-2018) and former National Capital Region Police Office regional director
- Oscar Albayalde – Former PNP Chief (2018-2019) and former NCRPO regional director who allegedly joined the Common Plan during the presidential period
- Dante Gierran – Former National Bureau of Investigation Director (2016-2020) and former Davao regional director of the NBI
- Isidro Lapeña – Former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency chief (2016-2017) and former Davao City Police Chief (1996-1998)
Specific Allegations and Timeframe
The ICC prosecution alleges that between November 1, 2011, and March 16, 2019, Duterte and his co-perpetrators shared a common plan to "neutralize" alleged criminals in the Philippines through violent crimes including murder. The charges specifically reference three categories of alleged crimes:
- Murders in or around Davao City during Duterte's mayoral period by the Davao Death Squad
- Murders of high-value targets during Duterte's presidential period
- Murders and attempted murders in barangay clearance operations during the presidential period
The document states that "Duterte induced members of the DDS and the National Network to commit the crimes" and "exerted influence over the members of the DDS and the National Network, prompting them to commit the relevant crimes."
Key Roles of the Named Senators
Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa served as the chief implementer of Duterte's drug war during his tenure as Davao City Police Office chief from January 2012 to October 2013 and as Philippine National Police chief from July 2016 to April 2018. Senator Christopher "Bong" Go served as Duterte's personal aide and special assistant from 1998 to 2016, then as special assistant and chief of the presidential managerial staff from June 2016 to October 2018.
Strong Denials from Accused Officials
In response to the ICC allegations, Senator Go issued a statement calling the accusations "unfounded, one-sided and unfair." He asserted that "at no time did I have any involvement in, knowledge of, or authority over these allegations" and denied ever serving as chief of the Presidential Management Staff. Go emphasized his commitment to integrity and transparency, vowing that "no baseless accusations can distract me from performing my duties and responsibilities as an elected government official."
Vitaliano Aguirre also vehemently denied any involvement, stating: "I believe that some people are trying very hard to link me to this war on drugs to make it appear that EJK was part of their so-called Common Plan or a national policy of the Duterte administration for their EJK accusations against PRRD to be credible. I was never part of this war on drugs and never participated in its implementation, if ever it was true." Aguirre further explained that his legal representation of Duterte and alleged DDS members in 2009 was simply him "exercising my profession as a lawyer and nothing is wrong with that."
Legal Defense and Political Implications
Duterte's lead legal counsel, Nicholas Kaufman, criticized the ICC prosecutor's actions, stating they will prove the allegations are "completely lacking of truth." Kaufman argued that "none of these co-perpetrators are, in my opinion, currently subject to arrest warrants" and that seeking further warrants before the Appeals Chamber decides on jurisdictional challenges "flies in the face of prosecutorial logic." He further suggested that "the sensational reporting of this list is clearly politically motivated and designed to decimate the Senate in the hope of perverting the democratic will of the Filipino people."
The ICC's identification of these eight individuals as co-perpetrators represents a significant escalation in the international court's investigation into alleged crimes against humanity during the Philippine drug war, which according to various estimates resulted in thousands of deaths between 2016 and 2022.
