ICC Hears Evidence vs Duterte on Day 1

Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court began laying out their case against former president Rodrigo Duterte on the first day of his confirmation of charges hearing, presenting witness testimonies, interview records, and video evidence in an effort to establish his alleged role in a network of extrajudicial killings.

Senior Trial Lawyer Julian Nicholls detailed what the prosecution described as the so-called “Davao Model,” which they argued reflected a chain of command that allegedly began with Duterte during his tenure as mayor of Davao City and extended to handlers and operatives linked to the Davao Death Squad (DDS).

According to the prosecution, testimonies from former members of the group pointed to Duterte’s presence during its early formation in 1988, where he allegedly told recruits that their role would be to eliminate criminals. A witness account cited by Nicholls claimed that Duterte personally armed new members by passing around a basket containing handguns and ammunition during a dinner meeting.

Nicholls also played a clip from Duterte’s May 25, 2015 interview on his weekly talk show in which he admitted involvement with a death squad. During a 2024 Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, Duterte was likewise quoted as saying, “I can make the confession now if you want. I really took care of it. But please, don't involve the police. ... I have a death squad, a death squad, but not the police.” He also stated, “My death squad, Ma’am, of course, it is organized. That is all I can say.”

The prosecution further presented witness statements alleging that decisions on targeting or killing individuals were made by “only one person” and that members of the squad who were not police officers were placed on the payroll of the Davao City government as “ghost employees.”

Video evidence was also introduced relating to a 2013 triple killing at the Agdao Public Market, which the prosecution claimed Duterte personally reviewed through CCTV footage but left unresolved.

For the first time in the proceedings, the prosecution also presented a slide identifying five individuals as alleged co-perpetrators in the anti-crime campaign in Davao City, including Sens. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Christopher “Bong” Go, as well as former officials Vicente Danao, Dante Gierran, and Vitaliano Aguirre II.

The Pre-Trial Chamber I will evaluate whether the submitted evidence establishes substantial grounds to move the case forward to trial.