THE Asia Pacific Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (APCHRP) has welcomed the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor’s decision to file charges of crimes against humanity against former President Rodrigo Duterte.
The charges are connected to 49 incidents related to the country's controversial ‘war on drugs," which resulted in the shooting or killing of 78 people by police, members of the Davao Death Squad (DDS), or other mercenary groups. The incidents span from Duterte's tenure as Davao City mayor through his presidency.
“The ICC’s recognition of these crimes is a crucial step for the Filipino people in the pursuit of justice for all victims of his violent rule,” the APCHRP’s statement reads in part.
The group noted, however, that the 78 deaths cited in the charges represent “merely a fraction of the true extent of Duterte’s brutal ‘war on drugs’.”
Human rights organizations have estimated the actual death toll to be more than 30,000, with many victims being minors “merely caught in police operations” and having no involvement with illegal drugs. The campaign disproportionately targeted impoverished Filipinos and was “marred with rampant corruption within the police force.”
The APCHRP criticized the narrow scope of the ICC's charges, arguing it “depraves thousands of other Filipinos who lost loved ones during the war on drugs.”
It also reduces the number of victims and surviving family members who will be officially recognized and allowed to participate in the case.
Other abuses cited
Human rights watchdog Karapatan also documented thousands of abuses under the Duterte administration (July 2016 to June 2022) related to his counterinsurgency program. These abuses, which the APCHRP claimed were influenced by “U.S. imperialist interests,” included:
422 extrajudicial killings
574 frustrated killings
21 enforced disappearances
233 cases of torture
The victims were mostly youth activists, environmentalists, human rights defenders, lawyers, trade unionists, and Indigenous peoples’ leaders.
Other documented violations included 2,957 warrantless arrests and 1,463 illegal searches and seizures. Livelihoods were also affected, with 6,912 demolitions, 8,072 incidents of property destruction, and more than 481,000 cases of forced evacuation.
“The scale of human rights violations under Rodrigo Duterte’s regime was staggering and he should be made to account for every single one of those abuses,” the APCHRP statement reads.
While narrowing the scope “may be a strategy for the prosecution, but it is a disservice for the victims of mass killings, illegal detentions, attempted killings and for their families who also suffered during their ordeal.”
Call for trial continuation
The coalition welcomed the progress in the case, noting the charges against Duterte are the “first criminal allegation against a president of the Philippines” in its history of rights abusers and dictators.
The APCHRP expressed anticipation for the confirmation of charges hearing, which was rescheduled after the defense team claimed Duterte was unfit to stand trial on September 23.
The group called on all ICC member-states to “urge the continuation of Duterte’s trial and to ensure that he is held accountable for his crimes.” The APCHRP opposes any further postponement, calling it “merely delaying tactics by Duterte’s defense team.”
“Justice delayed is justice denied, and the Filipino people must not be made to wait any longer,” the coalition said.
