Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have named eight alleged co-perpetrators of former president Rodrigo Duterte in a new filing that outlines what they describe as a coordinated “Common Plan” to “neutralize” suspected criminals through murder.
In a 16-page Document Containing the Charges (DCC) dated February 13, 2026, the ICC Office of the Prosecutor alleged that between November 2011 and March 2019, Duterte and senior officials shared and implemented a plan that led to crimes against humanity.
The filing identifies Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, former National Capital Region Police Office regional directors Vicente Danao and Camilo Cascolan, former Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde, Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, former National Bureau of Investigation Director Dante Gierran, former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency chief Isidro Lapeña, and former Department of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II as central figures in the alleged plan.
The document was submitted ahead of Duterte’s confirmation of charges hearing at The Hague later this month.
According to prosecutors, the “Common Plan” involved targeting individuals suspected of involvement in illegal drugs and other crimes, with the Davao Death Squad allegedly serving as the model for a broader “National Network.”
Duterte faces charges under multiple provisions of the Rome Statute, including indirect co-perpetration for allegedly controlling a structure of power used to carry out killings, ordering or inducing crimes, and aiding and abetting through moral encouragement, logistical support, and shielding perpetrators from accountability.
The filing alleges that police officers and other actors carried out killings within a hierarchical system in which refusal to comply could expose individuals to risk.
The DCC outlines three counts of crimes against humanity of murder, covering 78 named victims while noting that the true scale of victimization was “significantly broader.”
Count 1 covers 19 killings in Davao City between 2013 and 2016, when Duterte was mayor. Count 2 covers 14 alleged high-value targets killed between 2016 and 2017, including Rolando Espinosa Sr. and Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. Count 3 covers 45 victims across 35 incidents between 2016 and 2018, including the killing of 17-year-old Kian Loyd Delos Santos.
Prosecutors further allege that financial incentives were offered in some operations and that perpetrators were shielded from accountability.
FEB. 3 HEARING
The document serves as the formal basis for the charges that the ICC will examine during the confirmation of charges hearing from Feb. 23 to 27.
At that stage, judges will determine whether there is sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that Duterte committed the crimes charged.
If one or more charges are confirmed, the case will proceed to trial before a Trial Chamber.
Duterte, arrested in March last year, has consistently denied wrongdoing in connection with his anti-drug campaign. (Argyll Geducos)
