Card David calls on President Marcos to set up a Truth Commission for the war on drugs
The bishop of Kalookan and president of the Bishops’ Conference spoke about the fate of thousands of people who died during the Duterte years, whose fates have remained under investigation for years, with no answers for their families, this despite an inquiry by the Philippine Congress. To close this dark chapter, an independent body is needed to ensure that courage overcomes fear and accountability prevails over impunity.
Manila (AsiaNews) – The Philippine Catholic Church led by Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, Bishop of Kalookan, along with civil society groups and the families of victims of extrajudicial killings have written to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., urging him to set up a Truth Commission to investigate killings related to the war on drugs carried out by former President Rodrigo Duterte and his administration.
Cardinal David, along with widows, orphans, and survivors of extrajudicial killings, held a press conference in Mandaluyong City, near Manila, on Friday. In his address, the prelate urged President Marcos Jr. to establish this body to expose the full extent of war-on-drug-related killings and other human rights violations.
In a letter sent dated 7 November, Cardinal David states that a National Truth and Reconciliation Commission is needed as a step towards justice and for healing the country from the violence caused by the previous administration's war on drugs.
The commission would provide an answer to the families of the victims and send a strong message that courage prevails over fear and accountability over impunity, the bishop of Kalookan said.
In the letter, Cardinal David writes that families who lost loved ones to extrajudicial killings under Duterte's leadership are still grieving. They have not only lost their loved ones, but also their sense of security, their trust in public institutions, and in many cases, their means of livelihood.
The prelate also expressed regret that the Diocese of Kalookan is still suffering from the devastation caused by the drug war, while last year's Quad Committee hearings on the bloody anti-drug campaign yielded no resolution. For this reason, he wants to see an independent body to conduct impartial and fair inquiry.
Cardinal David, who chairs the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), is a staunch advocate for truth and accountability on various issues affecting the country. This includes corruption in flood control projects.
To this end, he has urged public officials to acknowledge their mistakes, repent, and return misappropriated funds as crucial steps towards true justice and national healing.
The prelate cited witnesses who had the courage to appear before the Philippine Congress to recount the systematic killings and the misuse of public funds to finance them. However, he laments that the hearings remained without a clear conclusion because they were conducted only in aid of legislation, and not to hold those responsible accountable.
Despite this, thousands of Deaths Under Investigation (DUIs) remain unsolved, which serves as a cover for paid assassins.
“The families of the victims, many of whom have lived in fear for years, have every right to demand that these cases be revisited and that answers be given,” David said. “They deserve closure. Our institutions deserve restoration. Our nation needs healing”.
Because of this, the cardinal is asking President Marcos to form a Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
"Such a body would not exist to seek vengeance, but to establish truth, promote accountability, extend compassion to victims, and help our country move forward with honesty and moral clarity," David explained.
“Truth-telling is not an act of reopening wounds – it is the only path by which wounds can finally heal,” he added. “Silence breeds resentment and fear, truth restores dignity, trust, and moral coherence to our democracy.”
The cardinal said that such a step would represent a historic opportunity for the government to demonstrate that the country chooses courage, accountability, and reconciliation over fear, indifference, and silence.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte launched his war on drugs when he took office on 30 June 2016. This policy left at least 12,000 Filipinos dead, mostly residents of poor areas. The Philippine National Police is thought to be responsible for at least 2,555 of these deaths.
Duterte and other senior officials allegedly initiated and encouraged the killings in a campaign that may constitute a crime against humanity.
Civil society and human rights groups believe that the true number of victims of the war on drugs exceeds 30,000.
According to research by Human Rights Watch, the police fabricated evidence to justify the unlawful killings. Duterte vowed to continue the campaign despite growing calls for an investigation.
Large-scale extrajudicial violence as a method of solving crimes also characterised Duterte's 22-year tenure as mayor of Davao City. In his own presidential campaign, he favoured this approach.
The night before his election victory on 9 May 2016, before a crowd of 300,000 people, he said: “Forget the laws on human rights. If I make it to the presidential palace, I will do just what I did as mayor. You drug pushers, hold-up men and do-nothings, you better go out. Because I'd kill you”.
Following his arrest in the Philippines on 11 March (requested for years but made possible only by the breakdown of his political alliance with Marcos), Rodrigo Duterte was placed in the custody of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, awaiting trial for alleged crimes against humanity in the Philippines.
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11/12/2023 18:37
