MANILA, Feb 14, (V7N) - International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutors have identified two sitting Philippine senators — Ronald Dela Rosa and Christopher Go — as “co-perpetrators” in former president Rodrigo Duterte’s crimes against humanity case.

The document, dated February 13 and posted on the ICC website, lists eight current and former officials accused of sharing a common plan with Duterte to “neutralise” alleged criminals through violent crimes, including murder, during his controversial “war on drugs.”

Dela Rosa, the former national police chief and chief enforcer of Duterte’s drug war, has not been seen publicly in months, while Go, re-elected in May 2025, was a close ally of Duterte both in Davao City and during his presidency.

Former justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, who previously represented Duterte in cases linked to the so-called Davao Death Squad, is also among those named.

The charges against Duterte include:

First count: Involvement in 19 murders between 2013–2016 while mayor of Davao City.

Second count: 14 murders of “High Value Targets” in 2016–2017 during his presidency.

Third count: 43 murders during clearance operations against alleged drug users and pushers between 2016–2018.

Duterte, arrested in March 2025 and transferred to the Netherlands, faces a four-day “confirmation of charges” hearing beginning February 23. Judges will decide whether the prosecution’s allegations are strong enough to proceed to trial.

END/AJ/RH/