Honoring the Lives Taken by Duterte’s War on Drugs in the Philippines

Written by Dimple Paz, Edited by Jovie Galit | Photo by Alliance AP

Since taking office on June 30, 2016, Former President Rodrigo Duterte has led a “war on drugs” that has resulted in the deaths of over 6,252 Filipinos in police anti-drug operations as of May 2022. Including vigilante-style killings, human rights groups estimated the death toll at 27,000 to 30,000, with a majority of the victims being impoverished residents. Most of these killings have been attributed to the Philippine National Police. Duterte and other senior officials have openly encouraged and endorsed these actions, driving a campaign that constitute crimes against humanity. This rhetoric and policy approach have normalized violence and created a culture of impunity in the Philippines.

The Philippines' extrajudicial killings have inflicted profound harm on the families of victims, leaving lasting emotional, psychological, and social scars.

The immediate response of families of murder victims to trauma—especially during the death notification process—often involves intense emotions, including anger, frustration, fear, guilt, and sorrow. Human Rights Watch investigated cases where police conducted raids with little regard for the safety and well-being of children, often storming homes in the middle of the night when the entire family was present. In many instances, children either witnessed the killing of a parent or were nearby as a parent was forcibly taken and then shot.

The harmful effects of Duterte’s anti-drug campaign on families, especially in cases involving children, extend far beyond the immediate violence of the raids. Many family members experience psychological distress after witnessing a loved one’s death. Some children have been forced to leave their homes and communities, going into hiding or relocating out of fear for their lives. In schools and communities, others face bullying and stigma due to alleged drug use by a now-deceased parent.

Families pursuing justice for victims of the "War on Drugs" continue to encounter obstacles in obtaining essential documents from police to support their cases. Many choose not to take legal action, fearing for their safety in an environment where impunity prevails.

The war on drugs in the Philippines is not merely about achieving peace, order, or security.

It aligns with a socio-economic agenda that marginalizes the poor—our own “wretched of the earth”—and is reinforced by an economic system that, both literally and figuratively, eliminates those unable to navigate the harsh realities of the free market. From news reports, the victims’ profile would tell us that they belonged mostly to the urban underclass, what our society would describe as the “slum” dwellers, even if the number of those killed would fluctuate from official government sources.

Duterte’s drug war has relied solely on punitive measures, targeting drug users and dealers through extrajudicial killings. However, this approach fails to address the underlying social, economic, and labor-related issues that drive people into the drug trade. Eliminating users and dealers may create a temporary lull, but without addressing these root causes, new individuals inevitably emerge to replace those killed. This is akin to the notion of cutting tall grasses: clearing the field momentarily, but allowing new growth to sprout from untouched roots.

In the Philippines, the shortcomings of the war on drugs are already evident—not because it lacks brutality, but because it avoids tackling the root causes of the drug crisis. Any meaningful solution must go beyond force, addressing the economic, social, and psychological reasons why people turn to drugs in the first place. Without this shift, the cycle of crime and drug use will persist—waiting only for the next crackdown before resurfacing.

Far from a success, Duterte’s war on drugs reveals the futility of attempting to solve deeply rooted societal problems through violence alone. A real solution must be inclusive, prioritizing education, rehabilitation, employment opportunities, and social welfare. Otherwise, as history shows, the peace of the dead is no peace at all.

How did the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Hearing on the Drug War Unfold?

The Philippine Senate’s Blue Ribbon Committee, formally known as the Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations, is tasked with investigating public officers' actions and ensuring accountability.

According to KARAPATAN’s assessment of the recent Senate hearing on Duterte’s drug war, former president Rodrigo Duterte used the platform as a stage for his usual expletive-filled rants, supported by allies like Senators Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa and Robin Padilla. The proceedings, they argue, have devolved into a spectacle. Duterte’s statements, laced with bravado, included his so-called willingness to take legal responsibility for the consequences of the drug war. However, when questioned about specific deaths, he repeatedly denied responsibility, deflecting blame with evasive and combative responses.

It increasingly appears that the purpose of the Senate hearings is to divert attention from growing tensions in the House of Representatives—tensions that, if fully pursued, could potentially expose the Marcos Jr. administration to backlash. After all, the current administration has not repealed any of the policies responsible for the severe human rights abuses that characterized both Duterte’s drug war and the counter-insurgency campaign.

Rise Up for Life and Rights, an alliance formed in response to the surge in drug-related killings due to this state policy, issued a statement calling for accountability. They highlighted that Senators Bato dela Rosa and Bong Go, who are now part of the Senate, were directly involved in executing former President Duterte’s war on drugs.

The families of the victims, represented by Rise Up, demand that the Senate investigation reveal the truth and hold those responsible for the killings accountable.

During the Senate proceedings, Col. Garma disclosed that a “reward system” for targeting suspected drug offenders had been discussed in a quad-committee hearing, underscoring the systematic approach behind these operations.

“As families who have witnessed and attended numerous hearings in Congress, we have gained clarity on the real events through the testimonies of various resource persons,” Rise Up stated. “These testimonies have illuminated the experiences of the victims, helping us comprehend the full scope of the tragedies that unfolded during the war on drugs.

Despite the thousands of victims killed in the War on Drugs, Duterte has no trace of Remorse

During the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Hearing, former president Rodrigo Duterte declared, “Do not question my policies because I offer no apologies, no excuses. I did what I had to do.” His drug war, which remains under investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC), continues to spark debate.

For Kristina Conti, assistant to counsel for the ICC and secretary general of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) Metro Manila, Duterte’s challenge to file complaints against him appears to be an intentional move to intimidate. “I think the provocation is used as a form of intimidation,” Conti noted. “They’re intimidating people—the families, and even witnesses, including possibly police officers and government officials—so that if they testify against Duterte, they fear something bad might happen.”

Carlos Conde, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, added that Duterte’s apparent indifference to potential arrest by the ICC reflects a strategic calculation. “He doesn’t care if the ICC will arrest him because he knows such a move could trigger a political upheaval that would benefit him and his family. They’re banking on the idea that the political climate remains in their favor, and Duterte—demonstrated by his behavior in the Senate hearing—can still influence and rally his base,” Conde said.

Honoring Those We Lost in the War on Drugs Campaign

We take a moment to honor the lives lost and the families shattered by this devastating policy. Each name is not just a statistic but a story—a loved one, a person cherished by a community, forever changed.

These individuals were parents, siblings, sons, daughters—people with dreams and aspirations. Their untimely deaths underscore the urgent need for accountability and justice. As we seek to uncover the truth behind these tragedies, we commit to remembering them, advocating for their families, and ensuring that their voices are never silenced.

To our communities in the diaspora, we call on you to join in honoring their memory by demanding accountability and pushing for justice. True change demands that we pour our focus from punishment to prevention, embracing strategies that foster a thriving community rather than fear and repression.

We owe it to them to build a future where lives are valued, rights are protected, and the root causes of poverty—conditions that trap people in cycles of struggle—are finally addressed. Our collective fight against a system that criminalizes the poor and disposes of the vulnerable must persist.