The ICC Prosecution’s Motion on Unidentified Witnesses
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is moving to consolidate its case against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, centering on the shadowy operations of the Davao Death Squad (DDS). In a public redacted application dated Nov. 3, the prosecution formally requested permission to introduce the recorded testimonies of three witnesses, identified only by the alphanumeric codes P-0019, P-1032, and P-1409. While the court documents maintain strict anonymity, the move has ignited intense speculation regarding whether these individuals are the same self-confessed former DDS members who have long been linked to the international investigation: Edgar Matobato, Arturo Lascañas, and retired police officer Cezar Mancao.
The Manila Times reported that the prosecution’s request is aimed at streamlining proceedings, asking Trial Chamber III to admit these prior statements and interview transcripts under Rule 68(3) of the ICC Rules of Procedure and Evidence. By securing the admission of these records, the prosecution estimates it could shave at least six hours of court time off the trial, opting for one-hour supplementary examinations rather than full three-hour direct testimonies for each witness. The legal stakes here are high; the prosecution argues that these accounts are foundational to establishing a pattern of crimes against humanity and defining the scope of individual criminal responsibility for the former president.
Documenting the Davao City Operations
The details contained in the redacted filing provide a grim roadmap of the allegations currently before the court. Witness P-0019 allegedly describes a pervasive atmosphere of fear in Davao City during Duterte’s tenure as mayor, specifically pointing to the former president’s practice of reading the names of suspected criminals on his local television program, Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa. According to the prosecution, those named on the broadcast were often killed shortly thereafter, suggesting a link between public rhetoric and targeted violence.
Meanwhile, the account attributed to P-1032 examines the structural composition of the DDS, identifying the notorious Laud Quarry as a primary burial site for victims. This witness also claims to have been forced into hiding after receiving death threats, fleeing to a different region of the Philippines to escape a group allegedly ordered to silence him. The third witness, P-1409, reportedly provides evidence covering the 2016–2017 period, detailing an alleged system of financial rewards for killings. This witness links the payments to Sonny Buenaventura, a retired police officer who served as Duterte’s driver and security aide and whom Lascañas has previously identified as the logistics and finance officer for the squad.
Court Weighs Admitting Recorded Testimonies Under Cross-Examination
The prosecution maintains that admitting these recorded testimonies will not infringe upon the rights of the accused. The proposal requires the witnesses to appear in court, confirm the veracity of their previous statements, and remain subject to rigorous cross-examination by the defense, the prosecution, and the legal representatives of the victims. This procedural balance is meant to ensure that the evidentiary record is complete while avoiding the redundancy of repeating exhaustive testimonies that have already been documented during the investigation phase.
However, the court has yet to issue a ruling on the request. The tension between judicial efficiency and the necessity of live, unfettered testimony remains a point of contention in high-profile international human rights cases. While the prosecution aims to move forward with the evidence as it stands, the defense team will likely scrutinize the reliability of these witnesses, particularly given their history as self-confessed participants in the very operations they are now describing. The reliability of “insider” witnesses is a frequent flashpoint in ICC proceedings, where the credibility of the narrative often rests on the corroboration of these accounts with physical evidence, such as the sites mentioned in the filings.
Redacted Witness Codes Spark Debate over Former President Defense
The question of whether Matobato, Lascañas, and Mancao are indeed the witnesses behind these redacted codes remains the primary subject of public debate. Kristina Conti, an assistant to counsel for the victims, has previously noted that Matobato and Lascañas possess critical, firsthand knowledge regarding the planning, financing, and execution of the DDS operations. If these figures are indeed the ones slated to appear, their testimony would represent a direct challenge to the former president’s legal defense.
As of November 4, 2026, the identities of P-0019, P-1032, and P-1409 remain shielded from the public record. The court’s decision on whether to grant the prosecution’s request under Rule 68(3) will be a significant indicator of how the trial will proceed. Until the Trial Chamber III issues its ruling, the specific roles these three individuals will play in the case—and whether they will be cross-examined on their past confessions—remains one of the most consequential open questions in the ongoing investigation into the Philippines’ war on drugs.
