ICC naming of Duterte’s allies sharpens Philippines’ political fault lines

The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision to publicly name two sitting Philippine senators as alleged “co-perpetrators” in Rodrigo Duterte’s crimes against humanity case has shifted the spotlight to Manila, sharpening both the former president’s legal exposure and the country’s already fraught political fault lines.A more detailed version of prosecution filings posted on the ICC website on Friday identified Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Christopher “Bong” Go among eight officials accused of taking part in what prosecutors describe as a common plan to “neutralise” alleged criminals through violent crimes including murder.The designation reflects the prosecution’s theory of liability rather than a judicial finding, but the inclusion of two elected lawmakers deepens the stakes ahead of Duterte’s confirmation of charges hearing and complicates calculations within the Senate as rival factions manoeuvre before the 2028 presidential race.Protesters hold pictures of former president Rodrigo Duterte as they call for justice for the victims of the war on drugs during his administration in Quezon City, the Philippines, in March 2025. Photo: APDuterte, 80, faces three counts of crimes against humanity covering 76 killings between 2016 and 2018, including deaths linked to the “war on drugs” he launched at the start of his presidency in 2016 and killings during his tenure as mayor of Davao City between 2013 and 2016.He was arrested in Manila in March 2025 and flown to The Hague, where he remains in ICC custody.The charges will be read at a four-day hearing beginning on February 23, at which judges will decide whether prosecutors’ evidence is strong enough for the case to proceed to trial.Duterte was declared fit to stand trial by ICC judges in January, after they rejected defence appeals to postpone proceedings on the grounds of alleged cognitive impairment.