Senator Ronald ”Bato” Dela Rosa and Christopher ”Bong” Go, have been identified as “co-perpetrators” in the International Criminal Court (ICC) case against former President Rodrigo Duterte, according to documents released by ICC prosecutors.
The documents, dated February 13 and posted on the ICC website, list Dela Rosa and Go among eight current and former officials allegedly involved in Duterte’s crimes against humanity.
“Duterte and his co-perpetrators shared a common plan or agreement to ‘neutralize’ alleged criminals in the Philippines, including those perceived or alleged to be associated with drug use, sale, or production, through violent crimes including murder,” the prosecution document stated.
Dela Rosa, the former national police chief and enforcer of Duterte’s drug war, has not been seen publicly in months and previously expressed concerns about potential arrest.
Go, re-elected in a landslide victory in May, was a key ally of Duterte during his tenure as mayor of Davao City and throughout his presidency.
Kristina Conti, ICC assistant to counsel, told that both senators could be targets of warrants.
Duterte is set for a four-day “confirmation of charges” hearing starting February 23. Judges will decide whether the prosecution’s case is strong enough to proceed to trial.
OTHER OFFICIALS NAMED
Other individuals identified include former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, former Philippine National Police chiefs Vicente Danao, Camilo Cascolan, Oscar Albayalde, Isidro Lapeña, and former National Bureau of Investigation director Dante Gierran.
BREAKDOWN OF ALLEDGED CRIMES
The ICC documents outline three charges against Duterte:
- 19 murders (2013–2016) during his time as Davao City mayor.
- 14 murders (2016–2017) targeting so-called “High Value Targets” during his presidency.
- 43 murders (2016–2018) during “clearance” operations against lower-level alleged drug users or pushers across the Philippines.
