By Akbayan Party-list
(Editor: The original media release was revised into a first-person account)
With the backdrop of the International Criminal Court (ICC) confirming the charges against former President Rodrigo Duterte, I stood at the Scout Circle today (Monday, Feb. 23, 2026), shoulder-to-shoulder with my fellow Akbayan Partylist members, Siklab (Simbahan at Komunidad Laban sa Katiwalian) and the grieving families of those slain in the ‘War on Drugs’. We converged with one clear, unified demand: convict the mastermind of the killings. As we marched and raised our voices, we invoked the spirit of the People Power uprising that toppled Marcos Sr.’s dictatorship. We declared that this same collective courage must now prevail against the impunity we are facing today.
I listened intently as our Akbayan Party president, Rafaela David, manifested that the power of the people that brought back our democracy is the exact same power that can claim justice for Filipinos.
“From Edsa to the ICC, the call is clear: an end to the culture of state-sponsored violence against the Filipino people,” she told the crowd. “We have already won over the murderous Marcos regime four decades ago. Now, we will claim justice against Duterte and his bloody war on the poor.”
Her words resonated deeply when she added that justice demands conviction. Duterte must pay for his brutal crimes against our people. Only then, she reminded us, can we truly start to break the cycle of violence — when we stand up and claim accountability for the abuses committed by even our topmost leaders.
Rafaela also stressed a vital point: alongside securing Duterte’s conviction, we must ensure these atrocities never happen again. “Hindi natin hahayaang maulit ang diktadura ni Marcos at tokhang ni Duterte,” she declared. We cannot afford to let another murderous leader rise to Malacañang. It is up to us to reject both past and present dictators to protect Filipinos from a dark future plagued by human rights abuses and plunder.
Then, Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña spoke, pointing us back to a crucial lesson of the Edsa revolution: those who abuse their power and oppress the people will eventually be made to answer for their actions.
“Like the dictator overthrown by the people forty years ago, Duterte will learn that no amount of power and influence will be enough to escape accountability,” Rep. Cendaña assured us. “Ang mga ninakaw at kinitil niyang buhay ay may kaukulang kabayaran. He and his conspirators must face the entire weight of their crimes before the ICC.”
What struck me the most was when Rep. Cendaña highlighted the bitter irony of the situation—that Rodrigo Duterte is actually incredibly lucky to face a proper trial and undergo due process.
“Si Kian nga na nagmakaawa dahil may test pa siya ay pinagsalang ng walang kalaban-laban, samantala si Digong pinayagan mag-absent sa hearing niya ng ICC,” he pointed out. “Kumpara sa mga inosenteng Pilipino na sinentensyahan agad ng kamatayan, maswerte si Digong na may pagkakataon siyang ipaliwanag ang sarili.”
Standing there, hearing those words, our resolve only grew stronger. We will see this through until justice is finally served.