303 drug war victims apply for ICC pre-trial vs Duterte

A total of 303 drug war victims have applied to participate in the pre-trial proceedings against former President Rodrigo Duterte before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The ICC Registry's Victims Participation and Reparations Section (VPRS) received 303 application forms, noted as a limited figure compared to the number of victims who wish to participate.

Victims and their representatives were clustered into Groups A, B, and C, with deadlines for submission set by the Pre-Trial Chamber I.

The VPRS verified applicants met criteria including established identity, suffering harm, and that the harm was a result of crimes Mr. Duterte is charged with.

Applicant identities were confirmed through government-issued IDs and affidavits certified by lawyers from the Public Attorney's Office.

The VPRS actively worked to inform and assist victims, reaching out to past victim assistance networks and providing application forms in multiple languages.

Drug war victims can still apply to participate in the crimes against humanity case of former President Rodrigo Duterte even while his trial is ongoing before the ICC.

According to an ICC-accredited lawyer, the main proceedings for victim participation are during the reparation stage, after the accused has been convicted and damages are to be discussed.