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.
ICC Assistant to Counsel Kristina Conti said the court’s call for more witnesses does not indicate a lack of evidence on the prosecution’s part.
“May ebidensya na ginamit para maging basehan ng kaso laban kay Duterte. Nagpasa ang prosecutor ng 5,051 items of documentary evidence na dinisclose na sa defense,” she said on an X post.
“Sa tingin ko, inuulit ng ICC itong panawagan para sa mga witnesses para makasigurado, at komprehensibo ang imbestigasyon,” she added.
[Translation: There is evidence that was used to be the basis of the case against Duterte. The prosecutor submitted 5,051 items of documentary evidence that have been disclosed to the defense…I think the ICC is repeating this call for witnesses to be sure, and that the investigation is comprehensive]
Conti said the court has more time to gather more evidence since the case is still in its pre-trial stage over appeals by the Duterte camp.
“Kasalanan din naman ng kampo ni Duterte kung bakit hindi pa nagsisimula ang trial. Sila ang nagpa-delay ng trial, hindi ba? Kaya habang hindi tayo tumutuntong sa trial proper, malaya ang ICC prosecutor na mangalap pa ng ebidensya,” she said.
[Translation: It is also the Duterte’s camp fault on why the trial has yet to begin. They delayed the trial, didn’t they? So while we are not stepping into a trial proper, the ICC prosecutor is free to gather more evidence.]
Conti also called on witnesses who have yet to gain courage to speak up about the extrajudicial killings.
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 detained in The Hague.
