MANILA — The International Criminal Court (ICC) has opened an online portal for individuals with credible information about former President Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial war on drugs to volunteer as witnesses.
The court is investigating Duterte and his associates for potential crimes against humanity linked to the violent anti-narcotics campaign that resulted in thousands of deaths, as well as alleged involvement in the Davao Death Squad during his tenure as mayor of Davao City.
The online witness portal, available in both English and Filipino, allows individuals to anonymously submit their contact information, including phone numbers and email addresses so that the ICC can reach out to them for future inquiries.
The portal also requests a “memorable word” that witnesses can use to verify their identity when the ICC contacts them.
Those eligible to fill out the witness appeal form include:
- Current or former police officers or drug enforcement agency personnel
- Current or former National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) officers
- Current or former barangay, city, or municipal officials
- Current or former government officials, legislators, or members of the judiciary
- Victims or eyewitnesses to crimes related to the war on drugs
The launch of the appeal comes after Duterte, 79, challenged the ICC to expedite its investigation, joking that he might die before facing trial.
Kristina Conti, ICC Assistant to Counsel and a lawyer representing drug war victims, described the witness appeal as the “final phase” of the investigation.
She explained that while the ICC has already identified those most responsible for the crimes, it is making a “last sweep” to encourage other potential witnesses to come forward.
“They’ve already established that crimes against humanity were committed in the Philippines. Now the question is, who should be held accountable?” Conti said in an interview with one media source.
She also suggested that the witness appeal could be linked to recent developments in the Philippines, such as new witnesses emerging during House committee hearings.
Conti speculated that since the ICC cannot physically conduct interviews in the Philippines, it may be turning to digital platforms to gather more information.
The current administration under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has not committed to cooperating with the ICC’s investigation, maintaining a more neutral stance on the matter.