FACT CHECK: Quote card of Kristina Conti saying there are no drug war witnesses is fake

Claim: Lawyer Kristina Conti, International Criminal Court (ICC)-accredited assistant to counsel, said that there are no witnesses to the extrajudicial killings under former president Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs. 

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The post bearing the claim has already received 10,000 reactions, 3,800 comments, and 1,600 shares as of writing. It was posted on January 21, days after the ICC renewed its appeal for direct witnesses of the drug war. 

The post uses a photo of Conti and a statement indicating that she is asking for help from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to have more witnesses testify in the crimes against humanity case against Duterte at the ICC. 

The supposed quote reads, “PBBM tulongan mo naman kami, wala na tayong witness na makukuha sa EJK. Lagot tayo sa ICC, pag malaman nila na nagsisinungaling tayo. Sinabi ko na umabot ng 30k ang nabiktima. Tapos ilan lang ang nagwitness. Baka ikaw ang ihahatid namin sa ICC, PBBM, pag mapahiya kami.” 

(PBBM, help us. We have no more witnesses to testify [regarding the extrajudicial killings]. We will be held liable by the ICC if they find out that we are lying. I said that there were up to 30,000 victims. But only a few were witnesses. It is you, PBBM, whom we’ll take to the ICC if we fail to get witnesses.)

Many Facebook users believed that Conti, who represents some of the families of people killed during Duterte’s drug war, did make the statement.

The facts: The quote is fake. No credible reports show that Conti made the alleged statement or that she supposedly asked Marcos for help. The false post also did not cite any credible source to support its claim. 

Contrary to what the false post implies, there are witnesses who will testify in the crimes against humanity case against Duterte at the ICC. 

On September 8, 2025, then-justice secretary and now Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said that retired police colonel Royina Garma has agreed to be a witness against Duterte in the ICC. 

Remulla has earlier said that three to four witnesses are expected to testify against the former president.

In an interview with journalist Pinky Webb of Bilyonaryo News Channel on January 30, Conti said that the prosecution is expected to present witnesses during Duterte’s confirmation of charges hearing. However, the identity of the witnesses cannot be disclosed due to security issues. (READ: Duterte at the ICC: Key dates to remember)

The misleading post misinterprets the ICC’s renewed call for witnesses as supposed proof that the case against Duterte lacks sufficient evidence. According to Conti, the ICC’s public appeal for additional witnesses is part of the prosecution’s measure to strengthen the investigation.

Duterte at the ICC: Duterte was arrested on March 11, 2025, and is currently detained at the ICC facility in The Hague, Netherlands.

His confirmation of charges hearing was initially scheduled in September 2025, but was postponed after his lawyers claimed the former president was unfit to stand trial due to his “deteriorating cognitive condition.”

The ICC recently announced that the confirmation of charges hearing will push through on February 23, following an assessment by independent medical experts finding the former strongman fit to take part in the proceedings. 

Previous fact checks: Rappler has previously debunked similar claims about Duterte’s ICC case: 

• FACT CHECK: ICC prosecution has evidence related to Duterte drug war case 
• FACT CHECK: Duterte not found unconscious in ICC detention center 
• FACT CHECK: ICC did not dismiss crimes against humanity case against Duterte 
• FACT CHECK: ICC did not authorize Duterte’s release, quote card is fake 
• FACT CHECK: Supreme Court did not dismiss Duterte’s ICC case
• FACT CHECK: 2023 ICC ruling misrepresented as dismissal of Duterte’s drug war case 
• FACT CHECK: ICC has not yet appointed legal representatives for drug war victims

– Angelee Kaye Abelinde/Rappler.com 

Angelee Kaye Abelinde is a student journalist based in Naga City, and an alumna of Rappler’s Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship 2024. 

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