ICC Prosecutors Detail How Duterte's Drug War Deliberately Targeted the Poor

International Criminal Court prosecutors in The Hague revealed new details about insider witnesses who claim former President Rodrigo Duterte's anti-drug campaign systematically targeted impoverished Filipinos because they lacked resources to seek legal recourse.

Witnesses Describe Deliberate Targeting Strategy

During the second day of confirmation hearings on Tuesday, prosecution trial lawyer Edward Jeremy disclosed witness testimony indicating that Oplan Tokhang operations specifically focused on poor communities. According to one witness, officials stated that drug operations "had to be poor, those who do not have the means to file a complaint."

The witnesses, whose identities remain protected for safety reasons, allegedly had direct knowledge of police instructions during Duterte's presidency. This marks the first time ICC prosecutors have provided such detailed profiles of their insider sources.

Benjamin Visda Case Contradicts Official Narrative

Prosecutors presented witness testimony contradicting the official account of Benjamin Visda's death, a widely reported case involving a man forced onto a motorcycle between two policemen. CCTV footage showed the motorcycle speeding away as women and children ran behind it.

"The victim was lying on the street in handcuffs and was dead. He'd been shot in the head seven or eight times," Jeremy quoted a witness. The official police report claimed Visda was killed in self-defense after allegedly snatching an officer's firearm while handcuffed on a motorcycle.

"This narrative is false. Benjamin Visda did not fight back. He was murdered," Jeremy stated.

PRRD List Described as 'Dead List'

Another insider witness testified about the so-called narco-list, officially known as the PRRD list, which identified suspected drug offenders. "This list was used by the police in their operations. And if you are in the list, you will be the subject for police operations. And most of the time, the people on the list are killed. So basically, the PRRD list is a dead list," the witness stated.

Prosecutors presented an Excel sheet showing that late Albuera, Leyte mayor Rolando Espinosa was marked as "neutralized" only after his death in a jail cell operation, not after his arrest.

Massive Increase in Police Killings

Expert witness data revealed a 1,600% increase in police killings in Bulacan since Duterte took office, with a 598% increase nationwide. Prosecution trial lawyer Robyn Croft said the expert concluded that "the only plausible explanation for such an extreme ratio is a widespread policy of extrajudicial executions."

One witness described the 2017 Bulacan operations that killed 32 people in a single night as "hunting season, a killing spree."

Defense Maintains Jurisdiction Challenge

Former presidential legal adviser Salvador Panelo, representing Duterte's defense team, maintained that cases like Visda's were legitimate instances of suspects fighting back. "You know, when you're involved in drugs, you will never allow yourself to be arrested," Panelo said.

Panelo continued to challenge the ICC's jurisdiction, stating after the hearing: "Then file it in the Philippine court, not here. This court has no business assuming jurisdiction over us because it has none."

The confirmation of charges hearing continues as the ICC examines whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed with a full trial against the former president.