Duterte charged with 3 murder counts at ICC – BusinessWorld Online
INTERNATIONAL Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutors have charged former Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duterte with three counts of murder in connection with his deadly war on drugs when he was mayor and President.
“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,” according to the prosecution’s July 4 filing, which was made public only on Monday.
Prosecutors led by Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang said Mr. Duterte is criminally liable as an “indirect co-perpetrator” for killings of drug suspects from November 2011 to March 2019.
The charges focus on three clusters of murders: at least 19 killings linked to the Davao Death Squad from 2013 to 2016; the execution of so-called “high-value targets” in anti-drug operations from 2016 to 2017; and dozens of murders and attempted murders during village-level raids from 2016 to 2018.
Prosecutors accused Mr. Duterte of helping design and enforce a common plan to “neutralize” alleged criminals, primarily drug suspects, through extrajudicial killings, both by the Davao Death Squad and by police nationwide.
He is accused of promoting, encouraging, and rewarding killings while ensuring impunity for perpetrators.
The ICC said the killings formed part of a “widespread and systematic attack against civilians,” amounting to crimes against humanity under Article 7 of the Rome Statute.
Mr. Duterte is detained at the ICC in The Hague after the government of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. allowed his arrest early this year.
The tribunal earlier this month postponed a hearing on the confirmation of charges against Mr. Duterte, initially scheduled for Sept. 23, to determine whether he is well enough to stand trial.
In a 13-page filing dated Sept. 11, defense counsel Nicholas Kaufman said Mr. Duterte’s team is seeking an indefinite adjournment of all legal proceedings in the case, citing his deteriorating health. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking
