ICC prosecutors seek to admit three witnesses' recorded accounts in Duterte case

Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have asked judges to accept the previously recorded testimonies of three witnesses as evidence in the case against former President Rodrigo Duterte, according to Mindanao Times.

A redacted version of the request, the prosecution's seventh application under Rule 68(3) of the ICC Rules of Procedure and Evidence, was made public by Trial Chamber III in a filing dated Nov. 2, 2026. It covers recorded accounts and related materials from witnesses identified only as P-1097, P-1170 and P-1318.

The prosecution said the statements speak directly to how the Philippine National Police (PNP) carried out the anti-illegal drug campaign, how people on Duterte's alleged "narco-list" were targeted, and the former president's alleged individual criminal responsibility.

Witness P-1097, interviewed over three days, alleged that Oplan Tokhang operations involved summary killings rather than the "knock and plead" visits the campaign was publicly described as, and claimed that warning placards were deliberately left on some victims.

Witness P-1170's account deals with how the drug war was rolled out after Duterte's election, including public accusations against suspected drug personalities and their inclusion on the government's target list.

Witness P-1318 described operations under Operation Double Barrel and Tokhang, alleging systematic cover-ups, planting of evidence and invented "nanlaban" accounts claiming suspects had resisted arrest.

Prosecutors argued that the three accounts support one another as well as testimony from other witnesses expected to take the stand. Admitting prior recorded testimony under Rule 68(3) is meant to shorten trial proceedings, though the number of hours set aside for supplementary questioning was redacted from the public filing.

All three witnesses are still expected to appear before the court to confirm their statements and to be cross-examined by the defense. The allegations have yet to be tested in court.