Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte vowed Monday to press on with his controversial drug war that has claimed thousands of lives, as he outlined his vision of an “eye-for-an-eye” justice system. Duterte devoted large chunks of his annual State of the Nation Address to pushing his law-and-order policies that have made him hugely popular with many … Read more
Legislators and human rights advocates angrily denounced the Philippine government on Friday for reinstating 19 policemen linked to the killing of a jailed town mayor. The critics said it would further heighten the “culture of impunity” in the country where law-enforcers have long been accused of killing people without fear of punishment. But President Rodrigo … Read more
A Philippine lawyer on Monday filed a complaint at the world’s only permanent war crimes court against President Rodrigo Duterte, alleging his war on drugs has caused some 8,000 deaths. Lawyer Jude Sabio urged the prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague to investigate Duterte and senior adminstration officials and bring charges of … Read more
The Philippines tourism secretary urged the media Wednesday to “tone down” coverage of President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly drug war, complaining that reports on extrajudicial killings were scaring away foreigners. On a trip to Thailand accompanying Duterte, Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo insisted the Philippines was a safe destination but said journalists were making the country a … Read more
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s ruling party stripped a dozen lawmakers of congressional leadership posts for voting against the death penalty, which critics warned Thursday was part of a “dangerous slide towards authoritarianism”. In a rare move local media dubbed a “purge”, ex-president Gloria Arroyo was on Wednesday dumped as deputy speaker of the House of … Read more
Philippine drug war critic Leila de Lima was a highly paid lawyer who switched focus mid-career to human rights, a decision that would draw her into the deadly world of President Rodrigo Duterte. De Lima was due to be arrested Friday on drug trafficking charges she insists are manufactured to silence her opposition to Duterte’s … Read more
A probe into whether Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte ran a death squad is making progress following crucial whistleblower testimony this week, the head of the country’s rights watchdog said Tuesday. Philippine Commission on Human Rights chief Jose Gascon, who is investigating allegations that Duterte orchestrated murders while mayor of the southern city of Davao, said … Read more
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte ran a death squad that killed many people, including a journalist and a pregnant woman, when he was mayor of a southern city, a retired policeman who claimed to part of the group said Monday. Arthur Lascanas, sitting alongside three prominent human rights lawyers, broke down in tears as he listed … Read more
Amnesty International has accused the Philippine police of “systematically planning” extrajudicial killings in the controversial war against drugs. The rights group also said in a report that the killings may constitute “crimes against humanity”. More than 7,000 have been killed since President Rodrigo Duterte launched his “war” on the drug trade in July. He has … Read more
Edgar Matobato’s days are spent — for now, at least — in a verdant, bucolic compound some way outside Manila. Chickens, ubiquitous in the rural Philippines, scratch in the dirt and there is a sizable supply of food stacked up on the porch of one of the small structures that make up the compound. It’s … Read more
Two-hundred bullets fired into an official. A corpse-eating crocodile. A billionaire killed in a lover’s tiff. They’re just some of the shocking allegations made by self-professed hitman Edgar Matobato before a Senate Inquiry into extrajudicial killings in the Philippines Thursday. Matabato claims he was part of a death squad run on the orders of President … Read more