Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was revealed to have paid the police to kill a suspect and received a reward of US$346 for killing one person.

Last week, a former police chief in the Philippines testified before Congress that during former President Duterte’s administration, the government’s anti-drug campaign included a practice known as “buying police to kill.” According to his account, police officers were incentivized with rewards of up to $17,340 for the execution of suspects, with a minimum payout of $346 for each killing. This shocking testimony has ignited calls for the evidence to be submitted to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Royina Garma, the former police chief who had close ties to Duterte, appeared before a House committee on October 11. She revealed that in May 2016, Duterte sought officers capable of implementing the so-called “Davao model” on a national scale.

The anti-drug crackdown during Duterte’s presidency was heavily influenced by his experience as mayor of Davao City. This “Davao model” involved three types of reward mechanisms: monetary rewards for killing suspects, funding for operations, and reimbursement for operational costs.

Garma disclosed that the payments for police killings could range between $346 and $17,340, depending on the target. She emphasized that these bonuses were strictly for killings, not for arrests.

Human rights organizations estimate that Duterte’s anti-drug campaign resulted in the deaths of up to 30,000 people, predominantly young males, a fact that the ICC is currently investigating.

However, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has previously stated that he would not cooperate with the ICC in surrendering Duterte. Marcos and Duterte’s daughter, Sara Duterte, campaigned jointly in the 2022 elections.