Naghain ng Affidavit of Denial si Ben Jason Tesiorna, isang mamamahayag mula sa Davao City, kaugnay ng video na ipinakita ng isang prosecutor ng International Criminal Court (ICC) bilang ebidensya, sa pagdinig ng confirmation of charges laban kay dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte noong Lunes, Pebrero 23, 2026.

Matatandaang naging usap-usapan online ang komento ng mamamahayag matapos niyang pabulaanan ang interpretasyon ng ICC prosecution team hinggil sa isang CCTV footage na iniharap bilang ebidensya laban sa dating pangulo, sa kinahararap na kasong crimes against humanity sa war on drugs noong administrasyon niya.

Ayon sa ulat ng Mindanao Times, na inilathala noong Martes, Pebrero 24, 2025, isa raw sa mga inilatag na ebidensya ng prosekusyon ay isang video noong 2013 kaugnay ng pagpatay sa tatlong hinihinalang magnanakaw sa Agdao Public Market sa Davao City.

Batay pa sa ulat, ayon umano sa ICC prosecutor, makikita raw sa nasabing footage si FPRRD na tila ipinagmamalaki o “nagmamayabang” kaugnay ng insidente, na anila’y indikasyon na ang mga salarin, na pinaniniwalaang may kaugnayan sa tinaguriang “Davao Death Squad” (DDS), ay kumilos nang may basbas ng awtoridad.

Ngunit pinabulaanan umano ito ni Tesiorna, na ang pangalan sa Facebook account niya ay "Aeson Anroiset." Ayon sa kaniya, naroon umano siya nang kunan ang video at ang tinutukoy umano ni Duterte sa naturang footage ay ang kakayahan ng mga bagong install na high-tech CCTV camera ng lungsod—lalo na ang kakayahan nitong mag-zoom mula sa malayong distansiya—at hindi ang pagpatay sa mga suspek.

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Batay pa sa ulat, sa pananaw ni Tesiorna, mali umano ang pagbasa ng prosekusyon sa konteksto ng video at hindi ito patunay ng pag-endorso sa extrajudicial killings (EJK).

"Ako mismo kumuha ng video na yan and nowhere in the video was FPRRD gloating about the killing. He was very proud of the hightech CCTVs installed that can zoom in to several meters. That was more than a decade ago," mababasa sa umano'y comment niya.

Kaugnay na Balita: 'Ako mismo kumuha ng video na yan!' Ex-Davao journalist, pumalag sa ebidensyang video ng ICC Prosecution vs FPRRD

Nakipag-ugnayan ang Balita kay Tesiorna, at sa eksklusibong panayam ng Balita sa kaniya, sinabi niyang gumawa na siya ng affidavit of denial tungkol dito at ipinadala na sa ICC.

Pinadalhan din niya ng kopya ang Balita ng kaniyang pirmado at notarized affidavit of denial.

NILALAMAN NG AFFIDAVIT OF DENIAL

Sa kaniyang sinumpaang salaysay na pirmado noong Pebrero 26, 2026 sa Davao City, iginiit ni Tesiorna na siya ang kumuha at nag-record ng naturang video noong Disyembre 19, 2013, sa media showcase ng bagong-install na CCTV system ng Central 911 sa Davao City. Aniya, isa siyang journalist-writer ng SunStar Davao noong panahong iyon.

Nanonood daw siya sa unang araw ng hearing nang mapanood niyang ginamit ang kaniyang video, nang mag-present si ICC Prosecutor Julian Nicholls at magbigay ng opening statement.

"Last February 23, 2026, I was monitoring the ICC Confirmation of Charges against former President Rodrigo R. Duterte (FPRRD).
During the opening statement of an ICC Prosecutor, Julian Nicholls, I saw that he presented a certain video before the court (ICC) and broadcasted worldwide, with English sub-title," saad dito.

Ayon kay Tesiorna, siya ang may hawak ng copyright ng nasabing video at hindi siya nagbigay ng pahintulot kaninuman, kabilang ang ICC prosecutor, na ipakita o i-broadcast ito para sa anumang layunin.

Dagdag niya, ang anumang pagpapalabas ng video nang wala ang kanyang pahintulot ay labag sa batas at nangangailangan ng kanyang malinaw na awtorisasyon.

Tinukoy rin niya na ang video na ipinakita sa ICC ay may English subtitles na umano’y naglalarawan at nag-aakusa sa ilang indibidwal, kabilang ang dating pangulo.

Gayunman, iginiit ni Tesiorna na wala umanong subtitles ang orihinal na kopya ng kaniyang video at tinawag itong “hindi awtorisado at ilegal na pagmanipula” sa materyal.

Mariin din niyang itinanggi ang anumang kaugnayan sa umano’y “tampered” o “spliced” na bersyon ng video. Aniya, hindi siya kinontak ng sinumang imbestigador o ng prosecutor bago ito ipalabas sa ICC.

Dahil dito, sinabi niyang naapektuhan ang kaniyang reputasyon at nalagay sa panganib ang kaniyang pamilya dahil maaaring isipin ng publiko na nakipagtulungan siya sa prosekusyon ng ICC.

Sa kaniyang salaysay, ipinaliwanag ni Tesiorna na ang ipinakitang CCTV footage ay hindi “real-time” na pagpatay kundi playback lamang ng isang naunang insidente upang ipakita ang kakayahan ng CCTV system. Aniya, malinaw na walang naganap na pagpatay habang ipinapakita ang footage noong 2013, at walang sinuman sa mga naroroon, kabilang ang dating pangulo, ang tumawag sa pulisya dahil hindi ito aktwal na pangyayaring nagaganap sa oras na iyon.

Dagdag pa niya, may hiwalay umanong ulat sa media tungkol sa insidente sa Agdao noong Disyembre 4, 2013 na naimbestigahan na ng pulisya bago pa man ipakita ang CCTV footage sa media.

Taliwas umano ito sa pahayag ng prosecutor na walang ginawang aksyon ang dating pangulo sa naturang insidente.

Iginiit din ng mamamahayag na walang kinalaman sa kaso ni FPRRD ang nabanggit na video; bagkus, nalagay raw sa "bad light" ang imahe ng dating pangulo matapos na ikonekta sa EJK.

"Besides, the ICC Prosecutor made misrepresentation when He showed the video to malign and/or present FPRR Duterte in a bad light when he made it appear to be connected with extra-judicial killing (EJK) or crimes against humanity; or that FPRRD did not do anything about the killing shown in the video."

"I vehemently assert that my video recording was not about EJK, nor about crimes against humanity nor about the killing shown in the video," saad niya.

Dahil dito, hiniling ni Tesiorna sa ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I na atasan ang prosecutor na maglabas ng paghingi ng paumanhin dahil sa umano’y maling representasyon at alisin ang video sa court registry o records. Humihiling din siya ng isang public apology bago o pagsapit ng pagtatapos ng Confirmation of Charges.

Binalaan din niya na kung hindi umano tutugon ang prosecutor, maaari siyang magsampa ng kaukulang reklamo laban sa mga sangkot, kabilang ang mga kasong cyber libel, danyos, at paglabag sa copyright.

"Therefore, I respectfully request the ICC Pre Trial I to order the ICC Prosecutor to issue an apology for his misrepresentation, and to remove the same video from the court registry or records."

"I also humbly demand a Public Apology from the ICC Prosecutor himself for his misrepresentation and/or recklessness, by Friday, February 27, 2026, or before end of Confirmation of Charges."

"Failure and/or refusal to issue a Public Apology will cause me to seek redress against said ICC Prosecutor and others involved, including but not limited to cyberlibel, damages, copyright infringement, etc.," aniya pa.

Isinagawa ni Tesiorna ang kaniyang affidavit upang patotohanan ang kaniyang mga pahayag at magsilbing batayan sa anumang legal na hakbang na maaari niyang isulong.

Ayon kay Tesiorna, ipinadala na ang nabanggit na affidavit sa ICC nitong Huwebes ng umaga, Pebrero 26.

Wala na siyang ibinigay na anumang mensahe laban sa ICC Prosecution team, maging sa defense team, o maging sa buong ICC matapos ang panayam.

Habang isinusulat ang artikulong ito, wala pang reaksiyon, tugon, o pahayag ang kampo ng ICC Prosecution team sa affidavit of denial ni Tesiorna.

Samantala, narito ang buong nilalaman ng affidavit of denial ni Tesiorna, published as is:

I, BEN JASON TESIORNA, of legal age, Filipino and with address at ____________________________, after being duly sworn to in accordance with law, do hereby depose and say that:

1. Last February 23, 2026, I was monitoring the ICC Confirmation of Charges against former President Rodrigo R. Duterte (FPRRD).

2. During the opening statement of an ICC Prosecutor, Julian Nicholls, I saw that he presented a certain video before the court (ICC) and broadcasted worldwide, with English sub-title.

3. I respectfully inform the ICC Pre Trial Chamber I and Pros. Mr. J. Nicholls that I was the one who took and recorded the same video on December 19, 2013, during the media showcase of the newly-installed CCTV system of the Central 911 of Davao City. I was then a journalist-writer of Sun Star Davao.

4. I own the copyright over said video and have not authorized anybody, nor the ICC Prosecutor, to show or broadcast the same for any purpose.

5. Since after recording the same video in my personal mobile phone, any and all showing or broadcast thereafter of the same video without my permission is considered illegal in any jurisdiction. The video is not public, and therefore, requires my explicit permission.

6. Also, the video shown during the Confirmation of Charges had English Subtitles, to make it appear and ascribe the voices allegedly to certain persons, including allegedly that of FPRRD. But, the English Subtitles were not recorded when I first recorded the events. The subtitle was clearly another unauthorized and illegal tampering of said video.

7. Also, I have not been contacted by any ICC investigator or that Prosecutor who presented it before the ICC PT I, even before it was shown or broadcasted. I, therefore, deny any association to that tampered and/or spliced video. Mr. Nicholls’ showing and broadcasting worldwide of my video has tainted my reputation and put me and my family in danger, as if I cooperated with him and the ICC prosecution, which I deny as well.

8. Besides, the ICC Prosecutor made misrepresentation when He showed the video to malign and/or present FPRR Duterte in a bad light when he made it appear to be connected with extra-judicial killing (EJK) or crimes against humanity; or that FPRRD did not do anything about the killing shown in the video.

9. I vehemently assert that my video recording was not about EJK, nor about crimes against humanity nor about the killing shown in the video.

10. I took that video when Central 911 showcased the capability of the newly-installed CCTV in Davao City. Central 911 showed that CCTV as being comparable to that in Makati City, which was ahead then in that technology.

11. The alleged killing shown in the CCTV was not in “real-time”, as there was no killing simultaneous or while CCTV footage was played back or that while we were all watching the CCTV footage. It was just a footage of a past killing were the CCTV is very clear, capable of capturing such crime.

12. I am very positive that there was no killing simultaneous to the showing of the CCTV footage (or not in “real time”) because no one, including myself and other journalists reacted to report the matter to the police. It was very clear, that no one in the room reacted to call the police, nor any other City official present nor FPRR Duterte himself. Central 911 just showed the CCTV footage as proof that the new CCTV system can capture clear footages, which can be responded to, if needed, including disasters, traffic, crimes and/or weather, even in “real-time” or for review and playback.

13, But, as it turned out, the ICC Prosecutor twisted the facts by making it appear that FPRRD did not react nor ordered the police to respond to that particular crime, while allegedly the crime was being committed. No one, including FPRRD, reacted because it was not “real-time”. It was just a showing of the capability of the CCTV. Besides, my full and unedited video showed that FPRRD lamented at the end of the video and had premonition then that the killing in the CCTV will be blamed on him, which is what ICC Pros Mr. Nicholls just did.

14. The police can confirm that no crime of killing as shown, to have happened on December 19, 2013, in that particular place. I reserve to present proof if necessary. I have a separate news report of that Agdao incident on December 4, 2013, which the police already investigated, even before that CCTV was presented to media, contrary to Mr. Nicholls’ assertion, that FPRRD did nothing to investigate those death of notorious criminals.

15. Therefore, I respectfully request the ICC Pre Trial I to order the ICC Prosecutor to issue an apology for his misrepresentation, and to remove the same video from the court registry or records.

16. I also humbly demand a Public Apology from the ICC Prosecutor himself for his misrepresentation and/or recklessness, by Friday, February 27, 2026, or before end of Confirmation of Charges.

17. Failure and/or refusal to issue a Public Apology will cause me to seek redress against said ICC Prosecutor and others involved, including but not limited to cyberlibel, damages, copyright infringement, etc.

18. I hope this clarifies the matter, as I execute this affidavit to attest to the truthfulness or veracity of the foregoing facts, and for whatever legal purposes this may serve.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this FEB 26 2026 in Davao City, Philippines.

BEN JASON TESIORNA
Affiant

Courtesy:  Ben Jason Tesiorna