MANILA – The camp of Rodrigo Duterte asks the International Criminal Court (ICC) once again to terminate the case and order his immediate and unconditional release. But these attempts do not sway the orphaned families of extrajudicial killings (EJK) victims. Collectively, they warned: “We will haunt you.”

“He knows the evidence against him and his cohorts is strong, which is why he has wanted the case stopped from the very beginning. He is the one who ordered the killing of our loved ones,” said Sally Ramos, mother of EJK victim Cristeta Ramos, in a Filipino statement. “It is as clear as day that Duterte only wants to escape accountability.”

At the height of Duterte’s so-called drug war, four men dragged Cristeta out of their house — seeking help and mercy — where she was shot three times in the head, deliberately killing her on February 18, 2017.

On November 14, 2025, Duterte’s legal counsels Nicholas Kaufman and Dov Jacobs filed an appeal to ICC’s Appeals Chamber seeking to reverse the decision of the Pre-Trial Chamber I, which upholds the jurisdiction of ICC to investigate and prosecute Duterte.

In a ruling dated October 23, 2025, the court stated that it still has the legal power to continue investigating and prosecuting Duterte despite its withdrawal from the Rome Statute on March 17, 2019, because the alleged crimes took place while the country was still a member-state.

Read: ICC upholds jurisdiction on Duterte case

The legal counsel states that there “exists no legal basis for the continuation of ICC proceedings against Duterte,” requesting the Appeals Chamber for his immediate and unconditional release.

Article 127 of the Rome Statute governs the continuing jurisdiction of the ICC for its proceedings, outlining the rule when a state withdraws its membership. It stipulates, “A State shall not be discharged, by reason of its withdrawal, from the obligations arising from this Statute while it was a Party to the Statute, including any financial obligations which may have accrued.”

“Duterte became cowardly when the investigation into the ‘war on drugs’ began, which is why he withdrew from the Rome Statute. Now that he is imprisoned, their tactics are still the same,” added Llore Pasco, mother of EJK victims Crisanto and Juan Carlos Lozano.

Pasco further emphasized that the ICC’s prosecution of Duterte is crucial especially when the domestic courts failed them.

Of 30,000 victims recorded by human rights organizations, only four cases have resulted in court convictions.

“We have been seeking justice for almost ten years. We gained nothing from the courts in the Philippines, which is why we turned to the ICC. We will not allow Duterte go unpunished,” Pasco added.

The families also look forward to the arrest of former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief turned senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.

Related story: How Sen. Bato Dela Rosa transformed Duterte’s ‘war on drugs’ rhetoric into a national policy

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla previously claimed that the ICC issued an arrest warrant for dela Rosa over crimes against humanity. Although the ICC clarified it could not confirm the existence of any warrant, dela Rosa has already rushed to the Supreme Court in an attempt to preempt the enforcement of an arrest warrant. 

Related story: Do not block drug war architect Bato’s impending ICC arrest – kin, rights groups

On November 14, 2025, Dela Rosa’s camp asked the high court for a temporary restraining order to stop the ICC from arresting him. They argued that Remulla’s public remarks—as the secretary of Department of Justice (DOJ)—could set off “the operational machinery of law enforcement agencies,” which might treat his statements as a green light to coordinate with Interpol or carry out a potential warrant.

“Sen. Bato Dela Rosa should stop acting like a coward,” said Sheerah Escudero, sister of victim Ephraim Escudero, in Filipino. “He showed no mercy when he ordered the killing—‘kill, kill, kill’—of those merely suspected. He and Duterte should end up together in the ICC detention cells as soon as possible.”

Ephraim was only 18—and already a father of two—when he disappeared on September 19, 2017. Two days later, his body was found in Angeles, Pampanga: his face and hands wrapped in packaging tape, his wrists and ankles bound behind him, and his head riddled with bullets.

Rubylin Litao, national coordinator of Rise Up for Life and for Rights, called on the ICC to dismiss Duterte’s appeal, proceed with the confirmation of charges and arrest Duterte’s co-perpetrators as soon as possible.

“Duterte’s lawyers may have tried all the delaying tactics available at their disposal but they cannot erase Duterte’s crimes against humanity,” Litao said.

Pasco also added that they do not want Duterte to escape accountability by death, citing the case of Juan Ponce Enrile who died on November 13 at the age of 101. Martial law victim-survivors remember him as a human rights violator, plunderer, and a personification of impunity. 

Read: Enrile remembered as rights violator, plunderer

“We don’t want Duterte to end up like Enrile. We want him to be held accountable for his crimes before he leaves this world,” Pasco ended. (RVO)