Orphaned families welcome ICC’s inclusion of 500 more victims, naming of Duterte’s co-perpetrators

MANILA — The International Criminal Court (ICC) decision to authorize 500 more applicants to participate in Rodrigo Duterte’s case on crimes against humanity is a welcome development for the families left behind by the brutal “drug war” campaign.

“We thank the ICC for including more victims to participate in the proceedings,” said Jane Lee, wife of victim Michael Lee killed vigilante-style in 2017, in a statement. “For us, this is a big step in our long and painful fight for justice.” 

ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I has authorized the participation of additional 500 individuals in a decision dated on February 13, 2026. This is after the Victims Participation and Reparations Section (VPRS) assessed the applications and determined that they fall under Group A: “applicants who clearly qualify as victims.”

“Duterte must be held accountable for crimes against humanity. We will continue to fight for justice for our loved ones until Duterte is found guilty,” Dahlia Cuartero, mother of drug war victim Jesus “Daboy” Cuartero, said.

Read: Drug war families find hope as ICC denies Duterte’s bid for interim release

The ICC Office of the Prosecutor released the public lesser redacted version of the Document Containing the Charges (DCC) naming two senators and former police officials as co-perpetrators of Rodrigo Duterte in the commission of crimes against humanity.

Implicated are Senator and then-police chief Ronaldo “Bato” dela Rosa and Cristopher “Bong” Go, also a senator and former presidential aide of Duterte. 

Also named in the document were former Manila Police District Director Vicente Danao, former Philippine National Police Chief of Staff Camilo Cascolan, another former police chief Oscar Albayalde, former National Bureau of Investigation Director Dante Gierran, former PDEA chief Isidro Lapeña, and former justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II.

“This shows that the plan was crafted not only to ensure implementation, but to ensure impunity,” said human rights lawyer Kristina Conti, ICC Assistant to Counsel, in a Facebook post. “The involvement of those in the investigating units, which should have acted as the killings happen, is material to the plan. This also emphasizes that the “war on drugs” began in Davao.”

Dela Rosa has been absent since November last year. Go, on the other hand, has continuously defended Duterte’s anti-illegal drugs campaign after the latter’s term.

“We have known their names and faces as Duterte’s cohorts, but the ICC naming them feels like a gentle pat on our shoulders, as we grieve for our loved ones,” Lee added.

It is the co-perpetrators, as outlined by the prosecutors, who controlled the will of the physical perpetrators of the drug war killings through a mechanism that ensured their compliance with their orders. This pertains to the whole chain of command, including the recruitment and mobilization of physical perpetrators, and incentives and payment for the killings.

“My son was maligned as a drug user and criminal. I and other families have been called many names as we fight for justice,” Cuartero added. “Today, we have seen and read the names of the real culprits – they who have blood on their hands for implementing a deadly policy. The world ought to know who they are.”

Duterte remains in detention at the Sheveningen Prison, in the ICC’s custody. Recently, Duterte’s counsel Nicholas Kaufman submitted a disqualification request against three legal representatives of the victims, namely Joel Butuyan, Gilbert Andres, and Nicolene Arcaina.

Rise Up for Rights and for Life said that this move is an attempt to “obstruct the ICC proceedings.”

“Duterte and his lawyers have exhausted all the legal actions they could think of to derail our fight for justice,” said Sheerah Escudero, sister of the victim Ephraim Escudero. “With the confirmation of charges hearing to begin on February 23, their desperation grows.”

Ephraim was found dead in Angeles City, Pampanga, hogtied and head covered by packaging tape. He went missing for five days before his body was found. He was only 18 years old then, with a wife and two children left behind.

The confirmation of charges hearing will begin on February 23, 2026 at the ICC in The Hague, the Netherlands. (RVO)

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