Families of those killed in the bloody war on drugs reacted with emotional relief and renewed hope after the International Criminal Court (ICC) rejected former president Rodrigo Duterte’s request for interim release, a ruling that ensures he remains detained in The Hague as proceedings move forward.
For many families who have spent years fighting to keep their loved ones’ stories alive, the decision felt like the first significant step toward accountability. Several described the ruling as a moment of validation — that after countless nights of grief, fear, and uncertainty, the international court had finally affirmed that their suffering mattered.
Some mothers of victims, long silenced or ignored in local proceedings, said they broke down upon hearing the news. Others expressed quiet gratitude, saying the ICC’s refusal to free Duterte even temporarily could encourage more witnesses to speak without fear of intimidation. Human-rights groups assisting the families said that many immediately reached out, asking how they could participate or testify once trial proceedings begin.
“We have waited so long for someone to listen,” one relative was quoted as saying in early reactions shared by support networks. “This gives us hope that justice is finally moving.”
The ruling, however, drew a sharply different response from Duterte’s supporters, some of whom were reportedly stunned and emotional over the decision. The former president’s family issued a brief statement saying they accept the ruling “with peaceful hearts,” and vowed to continue backing his legal team.
With Duterte still in detention, attention now turns to the next phase of the ICC process. For victims’ families, the court’s decision represents more than a procedural outcome — it signals the possibility of a full trial and, for the first time, a real chance to tell their stories before a global tribunal.
