Activist groups commemorated International Human Rights Day by submitting a detailed report on alleged human rights violations during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs to the Department of Justice (DOJ). The groups also staged a protest outside the DOJ office in Manila.
Led by Makabayan, Karapatan, Kapatid, and activists from Southern Tagalog, the protesters submitted the report titled “Impunity and State Terror: Final Compendium Report of the Independent International Criminal Investigation into Human Rights Violations in the Philippines.” The report was published by the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines and highlights data gathered by an independent investigation.
Makabayan President Liza Maza emphasized that the report contains evidence of crimes linked to Duterte’s administration, which allegedly violated human rights and international humanitarian laws. The same report had previously been submitted to the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is conducting its own investigation into Duterte’s anti-drug campaign.
According to the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the report notes at least 8,663 extrajudicial killings during Duterte’s term from 2016 to 2020. While authorities claimed the deaths resulted from suspects resisting arrest, witness accounts and documented evidence suggest otherwise.
Maza also called for the immediate arrest of Duterte, expressing hope that the DOJ and ICC investigations would result in justice for the victims.
The groups further challenged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to rejoin the ICC, criticizing his administration for its own alleged human rights violations. “We are urging President Marcos to push for the ICC investigation, but his reluctance raises questions about his administration’s accountability,” Maza said.
