28-10-2024 (MANILA) Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte delivered an impassioned defence of his controversial anti-drug campaign during Monday’s senate probe, maintaining his steadfast position on the deadly crackdown that has drawn international scrutiny and ICC investigation.
The 79-year-old former leader, appearing before the public hearing, stood firmly behind his administration’s aggressive anti-narcotics strategy, which official police records indicate claimed over 6,000 lives. However, human rights organisations suggest the actual death toll could reach tens of thousands, primarily among impoverished communities.
“I did what I had to do for my country,” Duterte declared in his opening statement, refusing to offer any apologies or justifications for the campaign that began shortly after his 2016 inauguration. The former president, known for his tough stance on crime, had previously authorised law enforcement to use lethal force against suspects if officers perceived their lives were at risk.
Despite widespread condemnation and an ongoing International Criminal Court investigation into alleged crimes against humanity, legal accountability has been minimal, with only nine police officers convicted for killings during the campaign. The ICC maintains its jurisdiction over deaths that occurred before the Philippines’ 2019 withdrawal from the court, including incidents in Davao City during Duterte’s mayoral tenure.
Current President Ferdinand Marcos has continued anti-drug operations, albeit with a shifted focus towards prevention and rehabilitation. Despite the bitter political rivalry between the two leaders, Marcos’s administration maintains its position of non-cooperation with the ICC investigation.
During his testimony, Duterte claimed that drug-related crimes are experiencing a resurgence, citing reports of sexual assaults and murders. “The purveyors of this menace are back in business,” he warned, expressing concern over what he described as growing public anxiety about drug-related violence.
