House panel recommends crimes against humanity charges vs Duterte

A HOUSE of Representatives committee on Wednesday recommended the filing of crimes against humanity charges against former President Rodrigo R. Duterte for his bloody campaign against illegal drugs.

Mr. Duterte, 79, is culpable of violating Republic Act (RA) No. 9851, a domestic law penalizing crimes against humanity, according to Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace S. Barbers, who heads the House quad committee.

“There was a systemic violation of human rights and blatant disregard of due process,” Manila Rep. Bienvenido M. Abante, Jr., a co-chairman of the House quad committee, told lawmakers during Wednesday’s session.

“The deep probe into the extrajudicial killings (EJK) that occurred during the administration of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s war on drugs yielded a far deeper tragedy into the lives of the Filipino people rather than its protection,” he added.

The Philippine Justice department in November launched an investigation into Mr. Duterte’s possible violations of international humanitarian law.

The Philippine government estimates that more than 6,000 died under the campaign, according to a Facebook infographics published in June 2022 by RealNumbersPH, which is operated by the inter-agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs. Human rights groups, however, say the death toll could be as high as 30,000.

The firebrand leader made a crackdown on the illegal drug trade a key plank of his election campaign, promising to kill 100,000 criminals in his first six months in office and throw so many bodies in Manila Bay that the fish there “will grow fat.”

During a congressional hearing in November, Mr. Duterte said he launched his drug war to prevent children being hooked on illegal drugs. “I was particularly worried because drugs target the youth. Not us. Drugs are being distributed in high schools and such.” 

The House quad committee also implicated Senators Ronald M. dela Rosa and Christopher Lawrence T. Go, who served as Mr. Duterte’s former police chief and special assistant, respectively, as being culpable for committing crimes against humanity, citing their connection to the alleged EJKs of drug suspects.

Former spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo and the offices of Mr. Dela Rosa and Mr. Go did not immediately respond to a Viber message seeking comment.

Lawmakers also said two former police chiefs of Mr. Duterte should also face crimes against humanity raps. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio