“Mira,” the alias taken by a sister of two alleged victims of the previous administration’s war on drugs, has arrived at The Hague in hopes of testifying against former president Rodrigo Duterte before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
She claims that her two siblings were executed by lawmen in May 2017 after being mistaken for drug personalities.
“We are here to prove that there were really victims [of extrajudicial killings]… many victims. Many of them are afraid [to speak up] even if they are victims too. They are really afraid,” she said in an interview yesterday with GMA News.
Based on ICC documents, representatives of the tribunal have already had three consultations with over 200 representatives of more than 2,000 EJK victims.
ICC spokesperson Fadi El Abdallah explained that many of these preliminary discussions focused on ascertaining the identities of those offering to testify and their connections with the alleged EJK victims, and not necessarily about the crimes committed.
“For example, part of the consultation with the victims was about how they can identify themselves? Are there ID cards? Is there official documentation? Is there any unofficial documentation that can be provided to kind of prove their identity and so on?” he pointed out.
El Abdallah clarified that not all those who present themselves can be considered as witnesses.
He added that they are not expecting many witnesses to be presented during the confirmation of charges in September.
As this developed, four relatives of EJK victims on Friday formally requested the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to look into a wave of coordinated online attacks against them.
According to Maria Kristina Conti of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL), the relatives of drug war victims are being attacked, mostly on Facebook, through doctored images, fabricated narratives, misogynist hate speech, and outright disinformation, all designed to discredit the victims’ families and their lawyer.
“These intensified after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant of arrest for former President Rodrigo Duterte,” she said.
In a statement, the NUPL said these attacks are a deliberate effort to undermine both the victims’ families and their lawyer, aiming to silence their call for justice.
“This harassment reflects the emboldenment of Duterte’s most aggressive supporters—paid trolls and hardline loyalists alike—enabled by a leadership that evades justice and feeds on fear and distortion,” it emphasized.
“By casting legal action as persecution and turning survivors into targets, Duterte’s camp is trying to kill accountability before it can take root. [However] We will keep pushing back—armed with the truth and backed by a growing movement for justice. We helped pave the way for Duterte’s arrest. We will not stop until justice is done,” the lawyers’ group vowed.
Meanwhile, Senator Ronald Dela Rosa said he intends to visit Duterte in The Hague in May.
This remark came mere days after saying he would seek sanctuary at the Senate or go underground altogether if the ICC issues a warrant for his arrest.
Dela Rosa stated he is planning to apply for a Schengen visa, hoping to visit Duterte before or after the elections, regardless of the outcome of the midterm polls.
“I’ll try to apply for a Schengen visa. If I am issued one, then maybe I will get a chance to visit him [Duterte] before or after the elections. [Whether I] win or lose,” he said in Filipino.
Asked what he would do if an attempt to arrest him was made at The Hague, Dela Rosa said he would wear a wig to avoid being recognized.