Rappler will host an Ask Me Anything session with the executive director of the ICC's Trust Fund for Victims on March 27. The event seeks to address questions about support for victims in the Philippines' drug war cases. Reporter Lian Buan will interview Dr. Deborah Ruiz Verduzco.
In Manila, Philippines, Rappler has announced an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session with Dr. Deborah Ruiz Verduzco, executive director of the International Criminal Court's Trust Fund for Victims (TFV), on Friday, March 27, at 8 pm. Rappler reporter Lian Buan will conduct the interview, with the public able to submit questions by noon on March 27 via the Justice and Crime chat room on the Rappler app, or live during the event. Viewers can watch on the Rappler page or YouTube channel; join via the app for iOS or Android, or the web version. The chat room remains open for updates on ICC hearings and interaction with journalists and experts. The post notes that victims are at the center of ICC proceedings, though the pre-trial hearing of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte focused mainly on sparring between prosecution and defense. Insider witnesses, including co-perpetrators who cooperate, are key to convictions. Victims' experiences are heard through their common legal representatives. The TFV has two mandates: reparations to victims upon suspect conviction, and assistance to families and communities, with the latter covering a wider scope that can benefit victims not officially admitted to the case. This is crucial for the Philippine case, as the prosecution has included only dozens of cases amid tens of thousands of killings in the war on drugs and Davao Death Squad.
