FACT CHECK: Quote card of Kristina Conti on death penalty is fake

Claim: Lawyer Kristina Conti, International Criminal Court (ICC)-accredited assistant to counsel, said that she will resign and leave the extrajudicial killing case if the death penalty is reinstated. 

Rating: FALSE 

Why we fact-checked this: The post has already received 5,200 reactions, 4,000 comments, and 152 shares as of writing. It was posted on January 19, days after the ICC renewed its call for more witnesses in the killings under the Duterte-era drug war. 

Conti’s quote card portrayed her supposedly saying, “Kung ibalik man ang death penalty mag resign nalang ako. Iwanan ko [muna] itong EJK [extrajudicial killings].”

(If the death penalty is reinstated, I will resign. I will leave this EJK [case] for now).

The quote card identified her as “Rep. Conti.” Most of the Facebook users in the comment section believed the quote card, with one commenter writing, “Korek baka ma sampulan ka [ng death penalty].”

(Correct, you might get a taste of death penalty). 

The facts: The quote card is fake. The post did not cite any credible source or interview to support the claim that Conti made the statement. 

The post also misrepresents Conti as a member of the House of Representatives. Conti is a lawyer and not a lawmaker. 

There are also no recent moves to reinstate the death penalty in the Philippines, which has been abolished since 2006. In October 2025, Malacañang said there are no talks to revive capital punishment.

While there are no recent news articles quoting Conti’s opinion about the death penalty, the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL), of which Conti is the regional secretary general, strongly expressed its opposition to capital punishment. 

In 2020, NUPL, together with the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and Free Legal Assistance Group, said that the death penalty will more likely target poor individuals and risk incurring irreversible errors. 

Role in Duterte’s case: Conti is a human rights lawyer who represents some of the victims of the war on drugs during the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte, who now faces crimes against humanity charges at the ICC. 

Conti previously clarified that her role as ICC assistant to counsel provides legal support to ICC-accredited lawyers, while it is the latter who are authorized to appear before the ICC on behalf of defendants or victims of the war on drugs. 

ICC officially designated Filipino lawyers Joel Butuyan and Gilbert Andres as common legal representatives of victims. They are both accredited counsels in the ICC. 

ICC arrest: The alleged crimes during Duterte’s war on drugs resulted in the former president’s arrest in March 2025. While the ICC initially rejected Duterte’s plea to skip the confirmation of charges hearing on February 23, the international tribunal allowed him to be excused from the proceedings. 

“Note that the suspect’s absence next week is based on the waiver of the suspect, not on reasons related to health,” said Oriane Maillet, ICC spokesperson.

Previous fact checks: Rappler has previously debunked similar claims about fake statements: 

• FACT CHECK: Quote card of Kristina Conti saying there are no drug war witnesses is fake 
• FACT CHECK: Quote of DPWH’s Dizon threatening case vs vlogger is fabricated 
• FACT CHECK: No SC ruling yet on indirect contempt case against Sotto 
• FACT CHECK: Quote card of Hontiveros declaring presidential bid is fake 
• FACT CHECK: Claire Castro quote dismissing scrutiny of Marcos’ confidential funds is fake 
• FACT CHECK: Social media card of Leviste tagging Paolo Duterte in flood control mess is fake 
• FACT CHECK: ICC did not authorize Duterte’s release, quote card is fake  

– 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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