MANILA – “I cannot sleep well [since last Friday]. I have been praying for justice… It is a great birthday gift for my son Daboy,” Dahlia Cuartero, mother of drug war victim Jesus “Daboy” Cuartero, said after hearing the International Criminal Court (ICC) Appeals Chamber rejection of Rodrigo Duterte’s bid for interim release.
Cuartero joined other families orphaned by the so-called drug war at the University of the Philippines College of Law to watch the livestreaming of ICC Appeals Chamber’s decision on November 28, 2025. Human rights groups and advocates were also present.
The Appeals Chamber unanimously confirmed the Pre-Trial Chamber’s September 26, 2025 decision. The Pre-Trial Chamber concluded that Duterte’s continuing detention is required to ensure not only his appearance in the proceedings but to prevent possible obstruction of investigation and further commission of related crimes.
“After examining the arguments raised in the appeal brief, the Appeals Chamber found that the Defence failed to identify errors in the Pre-Trial Chamber’s reasoning or to demonstrate that the Pre-Trial Chamber’s conclusions were unreasonable,” the Appeals Chamber said.
Cuartero heaved a sigh of relief upon listening to the judgment. Her son Daboy was killed in a police buy-bust operation in Bulacan in 2019. Daboy would have been 33 years old tomorrow, November 29.
There was no witness to his killing, making it hard for Cuartero to pursue a case in the domestic court. The ICC, like what many orphaned families under the Rise Up for Life and for Rights would say, is the court of their last resort.
“I am eagerly praying for Duterte to live long. So when justice comes, he could feel our pain and grief in killing our loved ones,” Cuartero said in Filipino.
For her, the continuing detention of Duterte minimizes the risk to their safety and security, emphasizing that she and other families of victims continue to experience harassment online and offline, vilifying them and their cause. The attacks also extend to the lawyers and supporters.
The ICC Appeals Chamber considered the Pre-Trial Chamber’s assessment that it is possible for Duterte to be involved in threatening and taking retaliatory actions against individuals opposed to him.
“We have been fighting for justice for over a decade,” said Sheerah Escudero, sister of drug war victim Ephraim Escudero. “There is an immense pain and burden caused by Duterte to us —families— which is why this decision is crucial for us.”
Ephraim was the younger brother of Escudero, killed at the height of drug war killings in September 2017. He was first reported missing and found two days later, with a shot in the head with body wrapped in a packaging tape. The brutal killing left his two children fatherless.
“There are no grounds for him to be released. He has the capacity, network, and financial means to escape accountability,” Escudero added. “We are enduring threats even up until now.”
For Rise Up for Life and for Rights, the decision boosts the morale of the families and their supporters. “We hope too that this decision will weaken the ferocious aggression of Duterte supporters against those who seek accountability,” coordinator Rubylin Litao said.
The group also hopes that ICC will dismiss other appeals filed by Duterte, proceed with the confirmation of charges, and arrest his co-perpetrators such as Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.
It has been more than two weeks since Dela Rosa has been reportedly missing in action, taking absences since the Senate break. It began when the Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla announced his impending ICC arrest on November 8.
Read: Do not block drug war architect Bato’s impending ICC arrest – kin, rights groups
Human rights groups Karapatan and Hustisya (Victims United for Justice) also welcomed the decision of the ICC Appeals Chamber, upholding the earlier assessment that Duterte’s continued detention remains necessary and proportionate given the gravity of charges and the risks posed to witnesses.
“This decision brings a measure of certainty to the victims’ quest for justice at the ICC,” Karapatan secretary-general Cristina Palabay said in a statement. “It does not mean the struggle is over, but it keeps the path open, and the victims have that degree of assurance that Duterte is in prison.”
Earlier this year, the following human rights groups went to Geneva, Switzerland for the 59th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council to bring the continuing fight of the families of drug war victims in the international community.
Read: Filipino delegations to UN rights council session to expose continuing violations in the PH
They submitted reports to the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions, Morris Tidball-Binz, and UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Opinion, Irene Khan.
“We will not remain silent until justice is served. We are prepared to fight for many more years if that’s what it takes for us,” Escudero added. (RVO)
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