MANILA, Philippines – A report of global human rights watch group Amnesty International quashed the supposed achievement of President Marcos Jr. ‘s bloodless anti-drug drive as unlawful killings was said to still be prevalent in his administration’s campaign.
According to its 2023-2024 report, extrajudicial killings under former President Rodrigo Duterte’s “war on drugs” unfortunately continued until Marcos’ second year – a contrast to the state chief’s pronouncement in his recent State of the Nation Address that his government adhered to the eight Es of an effective anti-drug fight and sealed his position in a resounding quote, “Extermination was never one of them.”
“Extrajudicial executions in the context of the ‘war on drugs’ that started in 2016 continued into the second year of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration, despite his public pronouncements that the campaign against illicit drugs would focus on treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration,” said the Amnesty International report.
The report said at least 329 people were killed in 2023 alone by state agents during police-led anti-drug operations or by unknown individuals, according to a media monitoring of a university-based research group.
In Marcos’ SONA, he reported to the nation that Php 44 billion worth of illegal drugs had been seized from over 7000 anti-narcotics operations nationwide resulting in the arrest of more than 97,000 drug personalities.
Of those arrested, 6000 were high-value targets, 440 being government employees of whom 42 were uniformed personnel and 77 were elected officials.
No record of casualties were mentioned.
In the recently held POST-SONA discussions, the Department of Interior and Local Government said the anti-drug fight of the Marcos administration was anchored on the BIDA (Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan) program, an advocacy drive aimed at raising awareness against drugs and instead promoting health and wellness that would lead to drug demand reduction.
In recent months, the nation has seen frequent mudslinging between the Dutertes and the Marcoses following their soured relations.
The most recent issue Duterte threw at Marcos is still the President’s alleged drug use supposedly caught in a video showing a man closely resembling the country’s highest leader snorting drugs. The video was later dismissed as fabricated by the National Bureau of Investigation.
As a result of the increasing tensions between the former President, Vice President Sara Duterte, Marcos’ running mate quit the Marcos cabinet as education chief and vice chair of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) over break with state chief.
Who is telling the truth now?
