MANILA (UCAN): Former Philippine president [2016-2022], Rodrigo Duterte, remained unapologetic over his controversial anti-drug war during his first public appearance before a Senate panel on October 28.
“Do not question my policies because I offer no apologies, no excuses. I did what I had to do. Whether you believe it or not, I did it for my country,” the 79-year-old said during the hearing.
In the nationally televised probe, Duterte justified his actions and said they were meant “to protect the country and the Filipino people.”
He added, “I and I alone, take full legal responsibility for everything the police had done pursuant to my order… I should be the one imprisoned.”
On 17 March 2019 Duterte withdrew from the International Criminal Court [ICC] after the tribunal started looking into his controversial anti-drug campaign that killed over 6,000 suspected drug users, mostly from the poor in urban ghettos.
However, human rights and media organisations estimate that the number of victims reached up to 30,000. The current administration of president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., is not keen on rejoining the ICC.
I and I alone, take full legal responsibility for everything the police had done pursuant to my order… I should be the one imprisoned
Rodrigo Duterte
In February 2023, Caritas Philippines urged the Marcos government to let the ICC investigate Duterte with executive secretary, Father Antonio Labiao Jr., saying it “will allow the due process to run its course and ensure justice and truth will prevail.”
“The Senate and the House of Representatives should exert pressure and issue a resolution addressed to President Marcos allowing the ICC to resume its investigation,” Father Labiao had said.
“If the government has nothing to hide then it has nothing to fear,” he asserted.
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Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee started its probe into the war on drugs on October 28 and follows several exposés from the House committees.
During the hearings, former police officials confessed to the existence of a rewards system in the anti-drug war, where police who kill drug suspects were rewarded.
Carlos Conde, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, said that with Duterte’s admission, the Marcos administration should “cooperate” with the ICC.
We must exact accountability for the horrific drug war killings under Duterte
Cristina Palabay
“The Senate hearing is hardly the venue for justice because it is clearly being used by supporters of Duterte,” Conde said on October 28.
Father Christian Ofilan from central the Diocese of Borongan, observed that while it is good that Duterte took responsibility for what happened, he hopes “he also comes to his senses to realise how inhumane and evil it [the anti-drugs war] was.”
Father Ofilan noted, “He is already old, but he doesn’t seem remorseful.”
Cristina Palabay, secretary general of Karapatan Alliance Philippines, said, “We must exact accountability for the horrific drug war killings under Duterte.”
AsiaNews reported House human rights committee chairperson, Bienvenido Abante, as saying, “It is now up to the proper authorities to consider the statement carefully and ascertain the criminal liability of responsible individuals whether under the concept of command responsibility or conspiracy,” Abante noted.
“These cases,” he warned, “could include crimes against humanity, as penalised under Republic Act No. 9581, the Philippine Act on Crimes against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes against Humanity.”
Chel Diokno, the prominent lawyer and rights advocate who took part in the Senate hearing expressed “optimism.” He added, “The victims and their families have long awaited this day of accountability.”
