Justice for all victims of Duterte’s drug war!Duterte, ikulong!
On Duterte, the drug war hearings, and the ongoing movement for justice for all drug war victims
Duterte’s bloody drug war is back in the news, as the former fascist admitted to the Senate under oath that he would kill, frame suspects, protect erring police officials, and do it all over again if given the chance.
In the past month, Rodrigo Duterte attended two hearings on the investigation into the drug war, where he openly admitted to using death squads and personally hired goons to kill "suspects" of drug use, and subsequently provide rewards for the killings.
Duterte’s bloody rampage dates back to 2011 when he was mayor of Davao, in which he originated the “Davao Model,” a system involving payment and rewards for killings. Under the Davao Model, police could earn between P20,000 ($346) and P1 million ($17,340) per killing, depending on the target.
Rewards were given only for killings, not arrests.
Upon being elected as President, Duterte’s bloody “drug war” killed an estimated 30,000 people, a majority of whom were from urban poor communities. Due to public outrage from the mass movement demanding to stop the killings, the International Criminal Court (ICC) called for an investigation of the drug war in 2019. That same year, Duterte pulled the Philippines out of the ICC, and called their charges “bullshit”.
President Bongbong Marcos Jr. — who ran a joint election campaign with Duterte’s daughter, Sara Duterte, in 2022 — had previously said he would "not lift a finger" to comply with the ICC investigation. Marcos could have taken actions years ago, but is only pushing now to get rid of his political rival now that the two political dynasties are at open odds once again.
The political feuding between Marcos and the Dutertes does nothing to address the cries for justice that families of drug war victims have been demanding for so long. It does nothing to address the rising economic crisis and suffering of the Filipino people that create public health epidemics like the prevalence of drugs in impoverished communities to begin with.
Former loyalists of the Duterte’s camp are also attempting to distance themselves from Rodrigo Duterte. Former Chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Bato dela Rosa, who is accredited to being one of the main architects of the drug war, is denying any involvement despite Duterte’s confirming his involvement. Dela Rosa will be running for another term in Senate in 2025.
BAYAN USA sent delegates last May on a Peace Mission in the Philippines, and had the opportunity to meet with the families of victims of Duterte’s drug war. The women — who were part of an organization called Rise Up for Life and for Rights — shared graphic stories of their loved ones being killed, shot, and being denied respect even after death. On November 7, the families of Rise Up joined hearings held by the House of Representatives to deliver powerful testimonies. They called for the investigation to be opened up again in the ICC.
BAYAN USA joins the families of Rise Up and all victims impacted by the drug war in calling for ICC to prosecute Duterte for the extrajudicial killings under his regime, which continue under Marcos’ regime. The probe should not just confined to the drug war, but rather extend to the state’s overall US-backed counterinsurgency program, which has also taken the lives of countless activists, trade unionists, farmers, journalists, environmentalists, and human rights defenders. Duterte, Marcos, and all those involved should pay for their crimes against the people.
We demand justice for all victims of extrajudicial killings and violations of international humanitarian law committed by the Philippine state with the full backing of US imperialism.
Justice for all victims of Duterte’s drug war! Duterte, panagutin! Duterte, ikulong!
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Watch Rise Up families and organizers speak about their experience and demands for justice: tinyurl.com/May24RiseUp