President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday condemned the killing of thousands of Filipinos in the name of the war on drugs, emphasizing that peace and order should be achieved through proper legislation rather than violence.
Speaking at a campaign rally for the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate, Marcos stressed that addressing crime and illegal drugs does not require brutal methods.
“In the fight against illegal drugs and crime, we don’t need to resort to bloody means. Killing thousands of our fellow Filipinos is not the solution,” he said.
He pushed for strengthening law enforcement by providing legal frameworks and institutional support for the police and local government units. “The only way to ensure peace and order is through proper lawmaking and effective support to the police and our local governments,” he added.
His remarks come on the same day former President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested and taken to The Hague to face crimes against humanity charges before the International Criminal Court (ICC). Duterte, who oversaw a bloody crackdown on illegal drugs during his presidency, made his initial appearance before the court on Friday at 9 p.m. Manila time.
Human rights groups have long condemned Duterte’s drug war, which allegedly led to thousands of extrajudicial killings. Marcos, who is pushing for a clean sweep for his senatorial slate, said Duterte’s arrest was justified.
