MASADA slams ICC narrative, defends Duterte supporters

The lawyer of the victims in the more than 497 cases of alleged extrajudicial killings has, according to a group, internationally shamed the more than 48 million peace-loving Filipinos who voted for former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and his daughter, Sara, as President and Vice President in the 2016 and 2022 elections.

The Masa Sara Duterte Alliance (MASADA), in a statement, said the narrative of lawyer Joel Butuyan during Monday’s confirmation hearing on the alleged crimes against humanity pictured Duterte supporters as fanatics — “bloodthirsty disciples who were responsible for the killing of what he claimed were 30,000 rapists and dangerous criminals.”

“On the contrary, the political battle cry of Tatay Digong’s war on illegal drugs and crime resulted in a landslide vote of 16,601,997 in the 2016 election and 32,208,417 votes for his daughter Sara as Vice President in the 2022 election,” Benito Ranque, MASADA governor, told the Daily Tribune.

Aside from allegedly shaming Duterte supporters, Butuyan also portrayed the Philippines before the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a failed state due to the supposed collapse of the five pillars of the criminal justice system — law enforcement, prosecution, courts, corrections, and the community — to justify the jurisdiction, arrest, and detention of Tatay Digong at the ICC as a court of last resort.

Butuyan also expressed strong opposition to the decision of the ICC pre-trial chamber to grant Duterte’s request to skip the case confirmation hearing.

Since the decision aborted the “international shaming drama” of alleged victims of crimes against humanity in the Philippines, the narrative has allegedly shifted toward Duterte’s supporters.

The ICC has practically barred the so-called “EJK” witnesses who traveled from the Philippines to The Hague, Netherlands, to confront former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (FPRRD) and “make a scene” to shame Tatay Digong before the international community, the group claimed.

“In the eyes of ICC judges, Tatay Digong is presumed innocent until proven guilty, and no amount of publicity stunt can influence the ICC judges,” Ranque said.

During the confirmation hearings from 23 to 27 February, only the prosecution and defense lawyers will be allowed to argue their cases. They may present evidence, but no witness testimony will be heard.

The ICC pre-trial chamber will release its decision on whether to proceed with the trial or dismiss the cases within 60 days.

In his letter to the ICC pre-trial chamber, Duterte said he was kidnapped and is being detained against his will.

“I am old, tired, and frail. I wish for this court to respect my peace inside the cell it has placed me in. I have accepted the fact that I could die in prison. But those that desire this fate for me should know that my heart and soul will always remain in the Philippines,” the letter said.