Philippines: Lack of accountability paves way for more killings in Duterte drug war – Amnesty International

By Jodesz Gavilan - Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – The still elusive justice continues to pave the way for more killings under President Rodrigo Duterte’s violent anti-drug campaign, Amnesty International said in its latest report released on Tuesday, March 29.

In its 2021/2022 State of the World’s Human Rights annual report, Amnesty pointed out that “lack of accountability continued to facilitate unlawful killings and other human rights violations under the government’s war on drugs campaign.”

Data from the government shows that 6,229 people were killed in police anti-drug operations from July 1, 2016, to January 31, 2022. This toll does not include victims of vigilante-style killings, which human rights groups estimate to be between 27,000 and 30,000.

Data obtained by Rappler in September 2020, however, showed that 7,884 drug suspects had been killed by the police since Duterte assumed office until August 31, 2020.

Only one case has led to a conviction so far – the killing of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos in 2017. Families of thousands of other victims continue to face challenges in seeking justice for their slain loved ones, including harassment and inability to get key reports from police.