Dutertismo Literature

By Noel Galon de Leon

The complete title of my column today is Dutertismo Literature: The Urgency of Creating and Documenting the Narratives of the Oppressed. I was compelled to write this after hearing the news on March 11, 2025, of the arrest of Rodrigo Duterte by Philippine authorities at Ninoy Aquino International Airport upon his arrival from Hong Kong. He was immediately transported to The Hague, Netherlands, to face charges of crimes against humanity filed by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in connection with his war on drugs during his presidency.

Does such a thing as “Dutertismo Literature” exist? I do not know for certain, but when I searched for the term online, I found no definitive reference. As a creative writing teacher at U.P. High School in Iloilo, allow me to define it within the context of how we ought to understand it in relation to our present lived experiences as Filipinos.

In my understanding and personal interpretation, Dutertismo Literature refers to the body of literary works produced and circulated during the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte from 2016 to 2022. This corpus encompasses a diverse range of forms, including short stories, poetry, essays, reportage, and other modes of creative and public writing that engage with the critical socio-political landscape of the period. These works seek to examine, depict, and, in many cases, critique the defining events, policies, and ideological underpinnings of Duterte’s administration.

While Dutertismo Literature is not confined to a singular perspective, a significant portion of these texts primarily documents the political conditions of the era, with particular emphasis on themes such as state-sanctioned violence, authoritarian governance, and the systematic suppression of free expression. Many of these works function as acts of resistance, offering counter-narratives to official state discourse and amplifying the voices of those marginalized by repressive policies. As such, they not only serve as a literary response to Duterte’s governance but also contribute to a broader historical and cultural reckoning with the impact of his administration on Philippine society.

A central theme of this literature is the urgent recounting of events related to the so-called “War on Drugs,” a campaign that resulted in thousands of extrajudicial killings, abuses of police power, and the erosion of due process and human rights. In response, many writers wielded literature as a potent tool to document the voices of victims, highlight the effects of this campaign on marginalized communities, and challenge the official government narrative.

Beyond its exploration of state-sponsored violence, Dutertismo Literature also offers a broader critique of the governance model championed by the Duterte administration. This includes the entrenchment of political authoritarianism, the systematic repression of the media, the weakening of democratic institutions, and the weaponization of populist rhetoric to solidify the image of a leader wielding absolute control over the state. Within this context, literature became an alternative space for discourse, one that provided critical engagement with issues that mainstream media may have hesitated to address due to fears of repression.

More than a medium for documentation and critique, Dutertismo Literature is a continuation of Philippine literature’s historical resistance against oppressive forces. Much like the literary works that emerged under other authoritarian regimes such as those written during Ferdinand Marcos’s Martial Law, Duterte Literature serves a dual purpose: as a form of creative expression and as an instrument of political resistance. Through various literary forms, it gives voice to experiences that the state may have attempted to silence, scrutinizes the long-term consequences of government policies, and preserves the collective memory of a society that endured a dark and controversial chapter in its history.

However, I wish to expand upon my earlier definition of Dutertismo Literature. Given the recent developments surrounding Duterte’s case, this literary movement is not confined to works produced solely during his presidency from 2016 to 2022. The challenge of creating literature that interrogates and exposes the injustices committed under his administration persists, particularly now that his case has entered the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC). This evolving socio-political reality underscores the enduring relevance of Dutertismo Literature as a dynamic and responsive form of cultural and historical reckoning.

In light of his March 11 arrest, I anticipate a resurgence of literary and artistic expressions that document and reflect upon this important moment, an event that, while perhaps a small step in the broader pursuit of justice, serves as a symbolic victory for those who have suffered under his regime. This renewed engagement with Duterte’s legacy offers a means of catharsis for the bereaved and the marginalized, ensuring that their stories continue to be told, their grievances acknowledged, and their struggles for accountability sustained. Through poetry, fiction, essays, and other creative forms, writers and artists will not only chronicle this significant development but also reinforce the essential role of literature in bearing witness, resisting historical erasure, and upholding the pursuit of justice.

In critical discourse and literature, the name “Duterte” transcends that of a mere political leader; it has become a metaphor for autocratic rule, populism, and systematic human rights violations. During his six-year tenure, the Philippines witnessed an era of governance that employed violence as its principal instrument of power. International organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and other watchdog groups documented thousands of cases of extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, and state repression against journalists, human rights defenders, activists, and ordinary citizens who lived under a climate of fear and injustice.

This climate of oppression gave rise to the term “Dutertismo,” an ideological and political paradigm rooted in the use of violence, disinformation, and manipulation to maintain control over the state. This mode of leadership was not only constructed through a rhetoric of brute force and strongman rule but was also materialized through policies that systematically violated fundamental human rights. The most severe impact of this governance model was felt in impoverished urban communities, families robbed of justice, children who grew up knowing only the sound of gunfire, the cries of grieving mothers, and the cold bodies of their loved ones deemed “collateral damage” in the bloody War on Drugs.

In literature, this era saw a surge of works that condemned, documented, and illuminated the true consequences of Dutertismo in Philippine society. Many writers, academics, and journalists wielded their pens to counter the state’s official narratives and expose the realities that propaganda sought to suppress. Within this context, a distinct body of literature emerged, one that is socially conscious, critical, and unafraid to articulate truths that power sought to silence.

Notable writers such as Patricia Evangelista, Randy Ribay, José Dalisay Jr., Lualhati Bautista, Vicente L. Rafael, Raissa Robles, and various independent journalists have contributed works that reveal the brutality and state-sanctioned violence of this period. Collections of essays and short stories, such as Bloodlust: Philippine Society Under Duterte (Ateneo de Manila University Press), serve as a proof to voices that the authorities sought to dismiss, mothers, siblings, and children who lost loved ones without justice, and communities that endured not just physical suffering but also long-term psychological trauma.

Beyond literature, various theatrical productions and films have also captured the human cost of this period. Tao Po (2018), a monologue play by Mae Paner (Juana Change), is based on the testimonies of EJK victims, their families, and even police officers involved in “Tokhang.” Similarly, The Kundiman Party (2018), a play by Floy Quintos, tells the story of a former kundiman singer who becomes involved in activism against authoritarian rule. Katips: Ang Mga Bagong Katipunero (2016) is a musical that explores the lives of activists fighting repression and authoritarianism, both during Martial Law and in the present era.

Several award-winning films and documentaries have further shed light on the human rights crisis. Aswang (2019), directed by Alyx Arumpac, examines the plight of families affected by Duterte’s war on drugs. On the President’s Orders (2019), an investigative documentary by James Jones and Olivier Sarbil, presents the brutal enforcement of the drug war in the Philippines. A Thousand Cuts (2020), by Ramona Diaz, follows Maria Ressa’s fight for press freedom against state-led disinformation and oppression.

Short films and independent cinema have also used creative storytelling to critique the era. Tokwifi (2020), a short film by Carla Pulido Ocampo, employs the metaphor of an old television set to illustrate the effects of propaganda and censorship. Respeto (2017), an award-winning hip-hop film, follows a young rapper navigating political violence and resistance.

Beyond serving as a reflection of the contemporary socio-political landscape, literature produced during this period emerges as a crucial instrument of resistance, one that challenges dominant narratives and offers counter-histories to official accounts that may later be manipulated or erased by those in power. Writing becomes an act of defiance, a means of reclaiming agency in the face of oppression, and a vehicle through which silenced voices are given the space to speak. By chronicling individual and collective struggles, literature not only memorializes the suffering endured by those affected by systemic violence but also asserts the necessity of confronting uncomfortable truths. In doing so, it constructs a shared historical consciousness, one that serves as both a warning and a lesson for future generations ensuring that the mistakes, injustices, and transgressions of the past are neither repeated nor forgotten.

Thus, literature extends beyond its conventional role as a medium of storytelling; it functions as a repository of collective memory, a form of resistance that transcends time and place. The written word, in its ability to capture lived realities, bears witness to the erosion of human rights, the struggle for justice, and the resilience of those who dare to challenge systems of oppression. In an era where the proliferation of disinformation, censorship, and state-sponsored propaganda threatens to distort historical truths, literature assumes an even greater significance. It becomes the custodian of historical integrity, ensuring that narratives shaped by those in power do not obliterate the testimonies of the marginalized.

More than ever, the act of writing and documenting the stories of the oppressed remains a vital endeavor, one that resists erasure and asserts the importance of truth-telling. As state mechanisms continue to manipulate information to serve political agendas, literature must remain steadfast in its role as a counterforce against historical revisionism. The responsibility of preserving memory and truth does not solely rest upon historians or journalists; it is also the duty of writers, poets, playwrights, and artists to weave into their works the voices of those who have been silenced. In this light, literature is not merely about the creation of narratives; it is about safeguarding history, resisting forgetting, and ensuring that the struggles of the past continue to influence, inform, and inspire the fight for justice in the present and the future.

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Noel Galon de Leon is a writer and educator at University of the Philippines Visayas, where he teaches in both the Division of Professional Education and U.P. High School in Iloilo. He serves as an Executive Council Member of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts-National Committee on Literary Arts.