Metro Manila, Philippines – The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor is calling for direct witnesses in alleged abuses linked to the bloody drug war during the Duterte administration to reach out to the international body.
In a social media post on Friday, Jan. 16, the ICC announced that it is seeking witnesses with firsthand knowledge of the anti-illegal drugs operations in the Philippines.
“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 ICC said.
The probe covers accusations of crimes against humanity tied to killings and other abuses during the campaign from November 2011 to March 2019.
The ICC opened its investigation in 2021 into thousands of killings linked to Duterte’s anti-drug campaign between 2016 and 2019.
Duterte was arrested in March 2025 and made his first appearance before the Court in the same month. He is currently detained in The Hague.
