ICC urges PNP members to testify on drug war

MANILA, Philippines — The International Criminal Court (ICC) has reiterated its appeal for direct witnesses of the alleged crimes related to the so-called war on drugs to come forward and speak with prosecutors, as the investigation against other possible suspects still ongoing.

In separate Facebook posts written in English, Tagalog and Bisaya, the ICC on Thursday re-shared the link to its witness appeals microsite. The platform was opened in late 2024, months before the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

“The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court is investigating allegations of crimes against humanity perpetrated in the Philippines, including killings, torture and sexual violence, as part of the so-called War on Drugs campaign between November 2011 and March 2019,” the post read.

“The Office is appealing for direct witnesses to these incidents, including members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other law enforcement agencies who were involved in these incidents, to come forward and speak with members of the Office,” it added.

Witnesses may submit information through https://appeals.icc-cpi.int.

The platform, which has English and Filipino language options, has a dropdown menu that classifies possible witnesses into six.

These include current or former officers of the PNP and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency; current or former officers of the National Bureau of Investigation; current or former officials of barangay, municipality or city; current or former government official, legislator or member of the judiciary; a victim or eyewitness of a crime related to the drug war; and others.

According to the ICC, information shared on the platform will be reviewed and that they will contact those whom they have additional questions to ask.

“We will review every submission, but cannot respond to everyone. In all cases, we thank you for your submission,” it added.

The resharing of website link prompted claims that the ICC does not have enough witnesses or testimonies against Duterte, who has been detained since March 2025.

But according to lawyer Kristina Conti, an ICC-accredited assistant to counsel, there were enough evidence that served as basis for the case against Duterte.

“The prosecutor submitted 5,051 items of documentary evidence (even more if counted by pages), which have already been disclosed to the defense,” she said in Filipino.

“So why issue witness appeals again? Why not, when the investigation is still ongoing? The ICC has not yet closed the investigation phase, during which it determines who is ‘most responsible’ for crimes against humanity. Until this phase is closed and a final report is issued, the ICC prosecutor will continue gathering evidence,” she added.

For Conti, the call for witnesses is to make sure that the investigation is thorough and comprehensive, citing the use of Tagalog and Bisaya.

“This is an opportunity for those who are still mustering the courage or waiting for a small glimmer of hope. Duterte is already in custody. The 10-year anniversary of his assumption of the presidency is approaching. But this is only the beginning – the Duterte case is still at the pre-trial stage,” she pointed out.