The International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor has formally charged former president Rodrigo Duterte with crimes against humanity.

In a court document signed by Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang, the ICC Prosecutor accused Duterte of being liable for dozens of murders that allegedly took place between 2013 to 2018.

Duterte was charged with three counts of crimes against humanity, involving the death of 78 individuals in the anti-illegal drugs campaign while he was Davao City mayor and during his term as president.

“The Prosecution charges the murders and attempted murders below, although the actual scale of victimisation during the charged period was significantly greater, as reflected in the widespread nature of the attack,” the document read.

Count 1 involves “murder as a crime against humanity in Davao City” of the 19 victims between 2013 and 2016, while Count 2 charges the former chief executive with “murder as a crime against humanity of ‘High-Value Targets’ in locations across the Philippines” involving 14 victims between 2016 and 2017.

Count 3 involves “murder and attempted murder as crimes against humanity in barangay clearance operations in locations across the Philippines” of 45 victims during his presidency between 2016 and 2018.

The ICC Prosecutor alleged that Duterte is liable for the crimes charged in counts 1 to 3 for “indirect co-perpetration, ordering and inducing, and aiding and abetting.”

“During the Mayoral period, the attack was carried out predominantly by the Davao City police and paid non-police hitmen who together comprised the DDS (Davao Death Squad),” the court document read.

“During the Presidential period, the attack was carried out by the National Network (predominantly law enforcement personnel with non-police assets and hitmen under their direction and/or control).” (PNA)