Duterte formally charged with 3 counts of murder before ICC

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has made public for the first time the charge sheet against former president Rodrigo Duterte, wherein the ICC's prosecution recommended the filing of three counts of crimes against humanity of murder involving 78 victims of his bloody anti-crimes campaign.

- RAYMUND ANTONIO

The 15-page document, which was filed on July 4 but was only published on Monday night, Sept. 22 (Manila time) on the ICC's website, stated that Duterte must be held "criminally responsible" for the murder of 76 victims and the attempted murder of two victims from the time he was mayor of Davao City up to the time he became president.

ICC Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang recommended the filing based on Duterte's role in "indirect co-perpetration," "ordering and/or inducing," and "aiding and abetting" the murders pursuant to relevant Rome Statute provisions.

There were 49 incidents—all heavily redacted—laid out in the document.

The first count involved 19 victims in nine incidents between 2013 and 2016 when Duterte was still mayor in his hometown, while the second count involved "high-value targets" of 14 victims when he was already president from 2016 to 2017.