The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday (The Hague time) released a document listing the charges filed against former president Rodrigo Duterte, and named his alleged co-perpetrators.
The Document Containing the Charges (DCC) was submitted by the Prosecution, and the ICC released a public lesser redacted version of the document on February 13.
The charges filed against Duterte as stated in the DCC include being individually criminally responsible for crimes charged in Counts 1 to 3 as an indirect co-perpetrator.
Counts 1 to 3 are as follows, according to the DCC:
“a. Count 1: Murders in or around Davao City during the Mayoral period by the DDS;
b. Count 2: Murders of High-Value Targets during the Presidential period;
c. Count 3: Murders and attempted murders in barangay clearance operations during the Presidential period”
“At least between 1 November 2011 and 16 March 2019, DUTERTE and his coperpetrators shared a common plan or agreement to ‘neutralise’ alleged criminals in the Philippines (including those perceived or alleged to be associated with drug use, sale or production) through violent crimes including murder (“Common Plan”),” the DCC read.
According to the DCC, Duterte’s co-perpetrators in the common plan are as follows:
– Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, chief of the Davao City Police from January 2012 to October 2013, and chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) from July 2016 to April 2018;
– Vicente Danao, chief of the Davao City Police from October 2013 to June 2016; counterintelligence chief, PNP Directorate for Intelligence from July 2016 to February 2017; chief of Directorial Staff and then Deputy Director for Operations of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) from February 2017 to November 2018; and Manila Police District director from November 2018 to October 2019;
– Camilo Cascolan, as finance chief of Davao Region Police Office from 2011-2012; chief of the PNP Directorate for Operations from July 2016 to April 2018; regional director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) from April to May 2018; and chief of staff in the PNP Office of the Chief of Directorial Staff from September 2018 to October 2019;
– Oscar Albayalde, as regional director of NCRPO from July 2016 to April 2018; chief of the PNP from April 2018 to October 2019;
– Senator Bong Go, Duterte’s personal aide and special assistant from 1998 to 2016; Duterte’s special assistant and chief of the Presidential Managerial Staff from June 2016 to October 2018;
– Dante Gierran, Davao regional director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) from 2013 to 2016; NBI director from 2016 to 2020;
– Isidro Lapeña, Davao City Police chief from 1996 to 1998; chief of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) from 2016 to 2017;
– Vitaliano Aguirre II, lawyer for Duterte and other members of the Davao Death Squad (DDS); secretary of the Department of Justice from July 2016 to April 2018; and
– other members of the PNP and high-ranking officials.
According to the DCC, “DUTERTE ordered members of the DDS and the National Network, over whom he had authority as Mayor of Davao City and Head of the DDS, and later, President of the Philippines, to commit the crimes in Counts 1 to 3… One or more of these members carried out DUTERTE’s orders, which led to the commission of the crimes in Counts 1 to 3.”
“DUTERTE induced members of the DDS and the National Network to commit the crimes in Counts 1 to 3… DUTERTE exerted influence over the members of the DDS and the National Network, prompting them to commit the relevant crimes.” it further read.
The former president also allegedly “aided, abetted or otherwise assisted members of the DDS and the National Network to commit the crimes in Counts 1 to 3…By these acts, DUTERTE facilitated and/or provided moral encouragement for the relevant crimes,” it added.
“For these reasons, Rodrigo Roa DUTERTE is criminally responsible for:
Count 1: Murder as a crime against humanity in Davao City during the Mayoral period of the 19 victims of Incidents 1 to 9, between 2013 and around June 2016, pursuant to articles 7(1)(a) and 25(3)(a) (indirect co-perpetration) and/or 25(3)(b) (ordering and/or inducing) and/or 25(3)(c) (aiding and abetting);
Count 2: Murder as a crime against humanity of ‘High-Value Targets’ in locations across the Philippines during the Presidential period of the 14 victims of Incidents 10 to 14, between around July 2016 and July 2017, pursuant to articles 7(1)(a) and 25(3)(a) (indirect co-perpetration) and/or 25(3)(b) (ordering and/or inducing) and/or 25(3)(c) (aiding and abetting);
Count 3: Murder and attempted murder as crimes against humanity in barangay clearance operations in locations across the Philippines during the Presidential period of the 45 victims (43 murders and two attempted murders) of Incidents 15 to 49, between around July 2016 and September 2018, pursuant to articles 7(1)(a) and/or 25(3)(f) and 25(3)(a) (indirect co-perpetration) and/or 25(3)(b) (ordering and/or inducing) and/or 25(3)(c) (aiding and abetting).,” the DCC read.
The said document was signed by Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiayae Niang.
Duterte remains detained at the ICC Detention Center in Scheveningen in The Hague, Netherlands.
GMA News Online contacted the camps of Senators Bong Go and Ronald dela Rosa, as well as Lapeña and Albayalde, and will update this story when they issue statements.
Cascolan passed away on November 24, 2023. —with a report from Ted Cordero/KG, GMA Integrated News
