Julia Christine Botin

Duterte may face more trouble after supporters spam ICC judge's social media, says lawyer

Article (news)

Rowegie Abanto

ABS-CBN News

<div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1742274524386Video.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Facebook page of ICC Pre-Trial Chamber-I Presiding Judge Iulia Motoc with comments from pro-Duterte supporters. <em>ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Detained former President Rodrigo Duterte could face more legal difficulties after his supporters spammed the social media page of an International Criminal Court judge, Kristina Conti of the National Union of Peoples&#x27; Lawyers warned Tuesday.</p><p>The Facebook page of ICC Pre-Trial Chamber-I Presiding Judge Iulia Motoc has been littered with comments from users who appeared to be supportive of the former president, with some urging the international tribunal to return Duterte to the Philippines.</p><p>Duterte is detained at the ICC detention facility in Scheveningen in the Netherlands to face crime against humanity charges for his deadly war on drugs. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/12/can-the-supreme-court-order-the-icc-to-return-duterte-1124">Can the Philippines&#x27; top court order the ICC to return Duterte?</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/17/unprecedented-icc-case-gives-birth-to-false-claims-fake-quotes-on-social-media-1930">Unprecedented ICC case gives birth to false claims, fake quotes on social media</a></div><p>Some social media users commented on Motoc&#x27;s page to call for a &quot;fair judgement&quot; for Duterte, while others accused her of bringing &quot;chaos&quot; to the Philippines, which recently saw protests attended by Duterte supporters. </p><p>&quot;Nakasasama. Hindi [nila] napapalaya si Duterte kaya siguro pagnilayan nila kung ano&#x27;ng gagawin,&quot; said Conti, who is also an assistant to counsel of the ICC.</p><p>&quot;Because the proper way would be to perhaps write to the court and ask for the opportunity to be heard, not spam the social media. That&#x27;s not an official communication channel of the court,&quot; she added. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/17/fact-check-pekeng-mga-pro-duterte-rally-kumakalat-sa-social-media-0000">FACT CHECK: Pekeng mga pro-Duterte rally kumakalat sa social media</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/3/15/duterte-supporters-hold-peace-protests-in-leyte-parts-of-mindanao-1541">Duterte supporters hold peace protests in Leyte, parts of Mindanao</a></div><p>As of Tuesday, Motoc&#x27;s social media page has limited who can comment on her posts.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8O8XdrDaWvA?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>Conti noted that Article 70 of the Rome Statute that created the ICC &quot;talks about offenses against the administration of justice.&quot;</p><p>&quot;If you intimidate an official of the court for the purpose of... forcing or persuading the official not to perform or to perform improperly his or her duties, Duterte could have additional charges if these attacks could be traced back to him,&quot; she said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/14/duterte-should-not-be-granted-interim-release-by-icc-say-drug-war-victims-1035">Duterte should not be granted interim release by ICC, say drug war victims</a></div><p>Spamming the ICC presiding judge&#x27;s social media page also weighs against the grant of a possible interim release of Duterte, added Conti.</p><p>The Duterte camp has yet to issue a statement on the Duterte supporters&#x27; behavior on the social media page of Motoc.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/18/palace-official-says-time-to-discuss-whether-philippines-should-rejoin-icc-1049">Palace official says time to discuss whether Philippines should rejoin ICC</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/17/duterte-provided-overwhelming-evidence-for-his-conviction-expert-1948">Duterte provided ‘overwhelming evidence’ for his conviction: expert</a></div><p>Meanwhile, a mother of a drug war victim during a press conference organized by the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines decried Tuesday the supposed social media attacks from the former president&#x27;s supporters. </p><p>&quot;Lori,&quot; whose son was killed during the drug war, said the harassment was &quot;traumatic,&quot; adding she fears for her safety because she said some social media users knew where she lived. </p><p>&quot;Kahit mabigat sa pakiramdam patuloy ako sa laban… Kung hindi ako lalaban, sino pa? Talo ako. Talo kami. Biglang pumasok sa isip ko na biktima na nga kami, binibiktima pa kami muli. Ang pronouncement ni Duterte siya ang biktima pero ang totoong biktima, kaming mga pamilya ng pinaslang,&quot; said Lori.</p><p>More than 6,000 suspected drug personalities were killed during Duterte&#x27;s drug war, according to official figures. But human rights groups estimate that the toll could be as high as 30,000.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/war-on-drugs">LOOKBACK: War on Drugs: The Unheard Voices</a></div><div><strong>— With a report from Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News</strong></div>

<p>Detained former President Rodrigo Duterte could face more charges because of his supporters' spamming of the social media page of an International Criminal Court judge, Kristina Conti of the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers said Tuesday.</p>

Detained former President Rodrigo Duterte could face more charges because of his supporters' spamming of the social media page of an International Criminal Court judge, Kristina Conti of the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers said Tuesday.