Relatives of drug war victims hold a protest in front of the International Criminal Court, ahead of the confirmation of charges hearing against former president Rodrigo Duterte at The Hague in the Netherlands, February 22, 2026. Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News
THE HAGUE, The Netherlands (UPDATE) — Drug war victims on Sunday denounced allegations that either the Philippine government or communist rebels footed the bill for their trip to attend former President Rodrigo Duterte’s confirmation of charges hearing in the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Non-government organizations and private individuals who support the rule of law and justice helped in funding the victims’ week-long trip here, ICC Assistant to Counsel Kristina Conti stressed.
“Ang pinaka-ugat ng tanong ay pera ba ng taumbayan ang ginastos dito? Hindi po. Wala po pera ng taxpayers money na kinuha,” she told ABS-CBN News on the sidelines of a press conference here.
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“Maraming tumatangkalik, hindi lang dahil biktima sila pero dahil sila yung naghahanap ng hustisya,” she said.
“Ang challenge ko sa nag-aakusa, kung sino yung may sabi, sila ang magprove… Ipa-COA (Commission on Audit) niyo kami, ireklamo ninyo kami, ipa-FOI ninyo kami, wala pong lalabas na singkong duling ng pondo ng bayan na pumunta dito.”
Conti in a Facebook post on Feb. 21 flagged several comments on social media insinuating that "government funds" were used to fly her and the EJK victims' families to the Netherlands.
"Hindi po. Kanya-kanyang paglikom ng pondo ang iba't ibang grupo. Hindi Philippine government-funded ang Duterte Panagutin Campaign Network, ang Rise Up for Life and for Rights, o ang National Union of Peoples' Lawyers," she said.
Groups supporting drug war victims pegged the cost of the week-long trip to the Netherlands at P200,000 per head.
Some of the those drug war victims’ relatives who managed to pool enough funds for the trip also denied the accusations.
“I filed a leave, wala akong salary,” said Sheera Escudero, whose brother was found dead in Pampanga at the height of Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs.
“Hindi po ito pera ninyo, hindi po ito taxpayers’ money,” she said in a press conference.
“We will be grateful if you support our advocacy, pero wala po kaming pera na hiningi sa mga pulitiko lalong hindi po sa pera ng taumbayan,” she added.
Llore Pasco — who lost her two sons to the drug war — underscored that they had to save money for years so that they can afford this single trip to the ICC.
“Hindi po kami namamasyal tulad ng sinasabi nila na,” Pasco said.
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“Hindi po kami tulad ng mga Duterte na kapag gusto pumunta, uraurada na parang Divisoria-Manila lang [ang The Netherlands],” she added.
Aside from malicious information, drug war victims and their supporters have also slammed the spread of threats and online harassment against them and their families.
The Duterte Panagutin Network earlier said that they have set up anti-troll networks as they brace for the deluge of disinformation during the week-long proceedings that will determine if there is sufficient evidence against Duterte.