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War on drugs: Where presidential aspirants stand

By: Kurt Dela Pe帽a - 3 years ago

MANILA, Philippines鈥撯揔ill.

The word was uttered repeatedly by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte throughout his term in relation to his anti-drug campaign, which continued to be relentless.

READ: 鈥楰ill, kill, kill鈥: Duterte鈥檚 words offer evidence in ICC

In the course of the bloody campaign, the death toll ranged from 6,000 based on official government figures and 30,000 based on claims made by human rights groups and critics of the violence that marked the campaign.

When Duterte steps down in 2022, critics of the bloodshed that characterized the anti-drug campaign were likely to see hope for an end to the killings as most aspirants seeking to become the next president all commented that while they would continue the anti-drug campaign, it would not be as bloody.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said between July 1, 2016 and Aug. 31, 2021, 6,191 individuals have been killed by police in 鈥渓egitimate operations鈥 while 307,521 have been arrested.

In 2020, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said the decline in crime incidence in the Philippines proved that the government was winning the war on drugs, which was Duterte鈥檚 campaign promise and the centerpiece of his governance. The PNP said the consistent decline in crime incidence showed 鈥渋mprovement in peace and order.鈥

The University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center, however, said since 2016, the government鈥檚 drug war has killed two individuals each day.

It said 2016 (3.1 people a day), 2018 (2.1 people a day), and 2021 (2.17 people a day) seemed to be the 鈥渂loodiest鈥 years, explaining that the escalation of killings could be related to who was leading the PNP.

Graphic by Daniella Marie Agacer

The 鈥Dahas (violence)鈥 data by the Third World Studies Center revealed that the most killings occurred under the watch of PNP chief Ronald 鈥淏ato鈥 Dela Rosa, now senator.

Rights violations

In 2020, the Social Weather Stations found that 76 percent of people believed 鈥渕any鈥 rights violations were committed in the government鈥檚 drug war with 33 percent saying 鈥渧ery many鈥 while 42 percent saying 鈥渟omewhat many鈥

Only 24 percent said there were few rights violations.

Graphic by Daniella Marie Agacer

Last Sept. 15, the International Criminal Court (ICC) formally initiated an official investigation into crimes against humanity that were allegedly committed in the Philippines, especially in the government鈥檚 war on drugs.

It said there was 鈥渞easonable basis鈥 to proceed with the investigation, explaining that 鈥渟pecific legal element of the crime against humanity of murder鈥 appears to have been committed.

This, however, was opposed by the Duterte administration, saying that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines since the President already withdrew the country from the treaty that established the ICC鈥撯搕he Rome Statute.

The government also insisted that the justice system works in the Philippines. Last October, the Department of Justice (DOJ) released details of its review of 52 killings related to the war on drugs.

READ: PH鈥檚 鈥榖loodiest killing field鈥 not on DOJ list of drug campaign killings

On Nov. 10, the Philippines asked the ICC to defer the investigation, saying that it was 鈥渋nvestigating or has investigated with respect to the alleged crimes against humanity of murder under Article 7(1) of the Rome Statute.鈥

READ: PH to ICC: Defer 鈥榙rug war鈥 probe

The ICC agreed to suspend the investigation, but demanded proof that there was no impunity in the Philippines. The Free Legal Assistance Group sent a letter asking ICC to continue its probe, saying the scope of the DOJ investigation covered only a small portion of the killings.

READ:

Where do they stand?

The President, on Nov. 6, said the war on drugs was meant to protect the Philippines from the 鈥渟courge鈥 of illegal drugs. 鈥淚 did it because I want to protect your children and their future,鈥 he said.

Will the aspirants seeking to replace Duterte be able to perform better than him in the campaign against drugs which the Dangerous Drugs Board said had consumed at least 1.67 million people between the age of 10 to 69 or two out of every 100 Filipinos?

Graphic by Daniella Marie Agacer

Here鈥檚 what they say:

De Guzman, who recently dared the President to investigate the cocaine use of an unidentified presidential aspirant, told Rappler on Oct. 26 that the Philippine authorities should also investigate the drug war.

鈥淎side from the International Criminal Court, we should really have an investigation locally, our own investigation,鈥 he said.

If elected, De Guzman said he will cooperate with the ICC probe, saying that he wants the Philippines back as a signatory to the Rome Statute which established the ICC.

Go, Duterte鈥檚 most trusted confidant, on Oct. 6, reiterated that he backs the government鈥檚 war on drugs. However, he said he wanted to develop a 鈥渉olistic approach鈥 to help victims of drug addiction.

鈥淚n addition to the fight for the nation鈥檚 safety and security against the menace of illegal drugs, we must also direct attention towards the rehabilitation and recovery of its many victims,鈥 he said.

Go stressed that 鈥渄rug dependents should be treated as victims in need of medical, psychological, and spiritual help.鈥 This, however, contradicted what he said in 2019.

鈥淭hey said it鈥檚 a failure because innocent criminals should be protected. Do criminals who are innocent exist? That鈥檚 why they鈥檙e called criminals because they have the brain of a criminal. They don鈥檛 care,鈥 he said.

Lacson said on Feb. 28 that the government鈥檚 war on drugs was a failure despite the thousands of Filipinos who were killed and the international embarrassment the war brought.

鈥淟et us not pretend anymore, the drug war really failed because the drugs are still there. If it succeeded, then there should be a significant dent on the drug syndicates,鈥 said Lacson, former head of the PNP.

In October, he said if he won the presidential race, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, who is seeking the vice presidency, will lead the fight against drugs under a Lacson administration.

He cited Sotto鈥檚 explanation that the government focused too much on law enforcement which was problematic. According to Lacson, under Sotto, law enforcement in the fight against drugs would be 鈥渏ust one of the components.鈥

鈥淗e wants to focus on prevention and rehabilitation, which were ignored. The approach must be holistic,鈥 he said.

Marcos Jr., on Oct. 7, told CNN Philippines that he will continue Duterte鈥檚 war on drugs 鈥渋n a different way鈥. He, however, did not directly say if he saw rights violations committed in the bloody anti-drug campaign.

鈥淵es, but perhaps in a different way. We have seen that the drug war has been conducted purely on [the] enforcement side. I think we should also focus on the prevention side,鈥 he said.

While Marcos Jr. said he wanted to focus on prevention, he stressed that he will not help ICC investigators in strengthening the case against government officials.

鈥淭hey want us to help them bring accusations against our Filipino workers in government? That鈥檚 too much, I don鈥檛 think that鈥檚 right,鈥 said Marcos Jr. who initially wanted Duterte to be his vice president in the 2022 elections.

Moreno said on Nov. 26 that if he wins, he will continue Duterte鈥檚 drug war. However, he said he would focus on 鈥渄rug lords and syndicates,鈥 especially foreigners.

鈥淲e鈥檒l go after those syndicates, drug lords, especially those who are bringing drugs from overseas. The long arm of the law and whatever existing laws, we鈥檒l throw the book at them,鈥 he said.

In October, Moreno said he will not resort to extrajudicial killings, saying that every individual has the right to life. 鈥淚 believe that human rights are fundamental,鈥 he said.

Moreno, however, said he would allow the ICC to investigate. 鈥淲e will not hide anything. They can enter here. They can investigate. If someone is proven guilty, we will hold them accountable in the eyes of the law,鈥 he said.

Pacquiao, in 2016, defended the government鈥檚 war on drugs,聽 saying that the President and police did not violate the law. He said 鈥渄rug lords鈥 were the ones responsible for the killings echoing a position made by Malaca帽ang.

Last Nov. 23, however, he admitted that as a 鈥渘aive鈥 young man in the past, he had used meth because of his ignorance of the law. He now says drug offenders must have a chance to defend themselves in court.

鈥淲e have to put in jail those who are using drugs, selling drugs 鈥 that鈥檚 what the law says,鈥 he said, saying that he will continue the war on drugs 鈥渋n the right way鈥.

Robredo, who had a short stint as one of the heads of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs, said she will continue the war on drugs, but it will not be 鈥渒ill, kill, kill鈥.

鈥淚n our case, we saw in the past five years that the drug war was conducted in such a way that is heavy on the enforcement鈥擨 do not believe in that strategy,鈥 she said, explaining that despite the deaths, the problem did not diminish.

鈥淚n my belief, once the Dangerous Drugs Board sits as the chair, its plan will not be just 鈥榢ill, kill, kill鈥 but the plan will be more comprehensive鈥攈eavy on prevention, heavy on rehabilitation,鈥 she said.

Last Sept. 3, Robredo said the next president should let a potential ICC investigation take place in an 鈥渦nhampered鈥 way.

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