Political Rights

I. War On Drugs

President’s Rodrigo Duterte’s primary presidential campaign propaganda and

flagship project as the President of the Philippines is to eradicate the Illegal Drugs
Problem in the country once and for all. He often stated in his campaigns and
speeches that he will kill all the people who are involved in the illegal drugs trade in
order to solve such problem.

After President Duterte’s assumption into office there has been a significant
increase in the number of drug related deaths in the country and it has been traced
back by various groups to this administration’s “War on Drugs”1 dubbed as Oplan
Tokhang”2

Reuters and other news site together with a number of human rights groups have
reported a vigilante group named “Davao Dead Squad”3 and the Philippine National
Police have been responsible for the more than twelve thousand deaths of people
involved in illegal drugs whether they are dealers or users. Reuters have also uncovered
a reward system that has been implemented starting 2016 within the Philippine National
Police that gives cash incentives to those who can kill a person that wa in the
government’s drug list.

That is why it is unsurprising that President Duterte reiterated again the need for
the “War on Drugs”, In his 2017 State of the Nation Address (SONA). He even went to a
great length to emphasize that it has affected every facet of development in this
country, because of the worry it brings in the peace and stability in the country. 4

1 Council on Foreign Relations. (2018). Human Rights and Duterte’s War on Drugs. [online] Available at:
https://www.cfr.org/interview/human-rights-and-dutertes-war-drugs [Accessed 30 Aug. 2018].
2 The term tokhang is a combination of the Cebuano words “toktok” (to knock on the door) and “hangyo” (to plead).
The operational meaning of the word “tokhang” is to plead to criminals (in this case those who are involved in drugs)
to stop their illegal activity. The word has become synonymous to the Duterte’s Administration on the “War on Drugs”
that it has become a derogatory word for the killings.
3 HRW.ORG. (2018). "You Can Die Any Time" Death Squad Killings in Mindanao. [online] Available at:
https://www.hrw.org/report/2009/04/06/you-can-die-any-time/death-squad-killings-mindanao [Accessed 30 Aug.
2018].

The group that has been linked as the hitmen of President Duterte as a mayor of Davao. It was deemed to have been
composed of former military men, former policemen and professional hitmen that has been credited for a number of
killings that transpired in Davao City.
4 philstar.com. (2018). Full text of Duterte's State of the Nation Address 2017 | Philstar.com. [online] Available at:
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/07/25/1721355/full-text-dutertes-state-nation-address-2017 [Accessed 30
Aug. 2018].

That is why, I have resolved that no matter how long it takes, the fight against illegal drugs will continue because that
is the root cause of so much evil and so much suffering [applause] that weakens the social fabric and deters foreign
investments from pouring in.”
 After receiving a number of criticism from various groups and personalities locally
and abroad, President Duterte in his 2017 SONA lashed at them stating that their time
should be better used to educate other people in the perils of illegal drugs instead of
blaming him in this country’s bloody war against drugs5.

Ironically, it his Duterte himself said that the war against illegal drugs will still be
unrelenting and that the people who are involved will either go to jail or in hell6.

Such pronouncements and actions coming from President Duterte and other
State Actors causes them to violate several internationally recognized human rights7
such Article 3: the Right of the People to Life, Liberty, Personal Security, Article 10: the
Right to Fair Public Hearing and Article 11: Right to be Considered Innocent until Proven
Guilty.8

5
Ibid
“To the critics against this fight, your efforts will be better spent if you use the influence, moral authority and
ascendancy of your organizations over your respective sectors to educate the people on the evils of illegal drugs
instead of condemning the authorities and unjustly blaming for every killing that bloodies this country.”

6 Ibid
“Despite international and local pressures, the fight will not stop [applause] until those who deal in it understand that
they have to cease, they have to stop because the alternatives are either jail or hell. [applause] And I will make sure,
very sure that they will not have the luxury of enjoying the benefits of their greed and madness.”

7philstar.com. (2018). Full text of Duterte's State of the Nation Address 2017 | Philstar.com. [online] Available at:
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/07/25/1721355/full-text-dutertes-state-nation-address-2017 [Accessed 30
Aug. 2018].
8Un.org. (2018). [online] Available at: http://www.un.org/en/udhrbook/pdf/udhr_booklet_en_web.pdf [Accessed 30
Aug. 2018].