ICC prosecution calls on witnesses to testify in Duterte's drug war probe

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January 16, 2026 | 10:14am

MANILA, Philippines — The International Criminal Court (ICC) has launched a microsite for individuals who witnessed alleged abuses during the Duterte administration’s drug war to apply as potential witnesses in the ongoing investigation.

In a Facebook post on Friday, January 16, the international tribunal announced the site’s launch and appealed to individuals to come forward and testify should they have any information on former President Rodrigo Duterte’s alleged crimes against humanity.

The Office of the Prosecutor is specifically looking for witnesses to the alleged crimes committed between November 2011 and March 2019. The period corresponds to the Office of the Prosecutor’s investigation, which was limited to 2019 after Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the Rome Statute, ending the country’s ICC membership.

"The Office is appealing for direct witnesses to these incidents, including members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other law enforcement agencies who were involved in these incidents, to come forward and speak with members of the Office," the Facebook post read. 

The witness appeal was also posted in Cebuano and Filipino to ensure it reaches as many Filipinos as possible who lived through and directly witnessed the alleged crimes, from Duterte’s tenure as Davao City mayor through the first half of his presidency.

On the microsite, applicants are first asked whether they prefer to use English or Filipino in completing the form. They are then required to provide their contact number and email address, and to indicate whether they are a current or former:

• PNP officer
• Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency officer
• National Bureau of Investigation officer
• Barangay, city, or municipal official
• Government official
• Legislator
• Member of the judiciary
• Victim or eyewitness of a crime related to the drug war

For each type of witness, additional questions will be asked, including the geographical areas where they worked as an officer or official, the departments they served in, and whether they have access to any documentary or audio-visual evidence related to the alleged crimes.

Victims and eyewitnesses will be asked about the kinds of crimes they witnessed — such as killings, sexual violence, torture, detention, disappearances or other abuses — as well as the locations, dates and alleged perpetrators of those crimes.

Since applicants may choose to remain anonymous when submitting the witness form, the ICC also asks them to "provide a memorable word" that the tribunal can use to identify and verify the applicant.

"When we contact you we will verify ourselves as being the ICC by using the memorable word you have given us. If someone calls you and does not provide the word then they are not the ICC," the form said. 

The ICC assured that while every submission will be examined, only some applicants will be contacted.

The Pre-Trial Chamber I has yet to decide whether Duterte is fit to stand trial before moving forward to the confirmation of charges hearing. 

A court-appointed three-member medical panel, however, found that despite his age and frailty, he can still understand the charges, follow proceedings and instruct his defense on his case.

Duterte’s bid for urgent interim release was also blocked by the Pre-Trial Chamber I in September 2025 and upheld by the Appeals Chamber in November, which affirmed the court's reasoning that he remains a flight risk and could interfere with the tribunal’s investigations.

He faces three counts of crimes against humanity for at least 76 killings from 2013 to 2018 linked to the Davao Death Squad and anti-crime and anti-drug operations during his tenure as mayor and later as president.