The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued a call for direct witnesses to testify in its ongoing probe into alleged abuses tied to the bloody drug war under former President Rodrigo Duterte.
In a social media post on January 16, the ICC said it is seeking individuals with firsthand knowledge of anti-illegal drugs operations in the Philippines.
“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,” the ICC said.
The investigation covers accusations of crimes against humanity linked to killings and other abuses from November 2011 to March 2019. The ICC formally opened its probe in 2021, focusing on thousands of deaths connected to Duterte’s campaign between 2016 and 2019.
Duterte was arrested in March 2025 and made his first appearance before the Court that same month. He remains detained in The Hague, Netherlands, as proceedings continue.