Groups press accountability in Duterte drug war forum

By Juliane Judilla

Lawyers, law students, and human rights advocates gathered on Jan. 11 at the Little Theater of the University of the Philippines Visayas on General Luna Street to reiterate calls for justice and accountability over charges linked to former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s war on drugs.

The forum, titled “Mga Pamatbat sa Pagpasabat: The Continuing Call for Accountability in Duterte’s War on Drugs through the International Criminal Court,” was organized by the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers Panay Chapter, NUPL Panay Law Students, and the Iloilo Legal Assistance Center.

Hundreds attended the event, including members of the legal profession, students, and civil society groups.

NUPL Panay Chapter Chairperson Atty. Rene Estocapio said the demand for accountability must persist despite political pressure and resistance.

“Our call, ‘Duterte panagutin,’ is not a mere slogan, but a call grounded on truth, accountability, and principle,” Estocapio said.

NUPL Panay Secretary General Atty. Angelo Karlo Guillen discussed the current human rights situation in the Philippines, saying a culture of impunity became entrenched during Duterte’s presidency.

He said the drug war exposed deep flaws in the Philippine justice system.

“The war on drugs exposed the true nature of the Philippine justice system. Oppression is systemic. We have the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, but to pretend that these legal protections apply equally to all Filipinos would be a pretense,” Guillen said.

One of the forum’s main speakers, Atty. Kristina Conti, a lawyer for families of drug war victims and an assistant to counsel at the International Criminal Court, gave updates on Duterte’s case following his arrest and immediate detention in The Hague, the Netherlands, on March 14, 2025.

Conti explained the legal bases for Duterte’s alleged criminal liability under the Rome Statute.

She said Duterte is being treated as an indirect perpetrator under Article 25(3)(a) as the alleged mastermind and leader of the killings.

She added that he allegedly ordered and induced others to commit the crimes and aided killing networks, making him criminally liable under Article 25(3)(b).

Conti also said Duterte allegedly aided and abetted perpetrators on the ground by providing moral encouragement and other forms of support under Article 25(3)(c).

She said the allegations were further supported by testimonies presented during the Quad Committee hearings in the Philippines.

Conti cited the testimony of Royima Garma, a former official assigned to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, who disclosed the existence of an alleged cash reward system tied to the drug war.

During a Quad Committee hearing on Oct. 11, 2024, Garma testified that police officers allegedly received cash incentives ranging from PHP 20,000 to as much as PHP 1 million for every drug suspect killed, purportedly on Duterte’s orders.

Conti also outlined the next steps in the ICC proceedings.

These include the qualification of victims to participate in the case and the appointment of their legal representatives.

They also include a ruling by the Pre-Trial Chamber on Duterte’s fitness to stand trial.

Further steps include the rescheduling of the confirmation of charges.

Conti said the Appeals Chamber is also expected to rule on jurisdictional issues.

She added that the ICC investigation will continue until its eventual conclusion.

According to Human Rights Watch, more than 12,000 Filipinos were killed in the state-sponsored war on drugs from 2016 to 2022.

The group said at least 2,555 of the killings were attributed to the Philippine National Police.

Speakers and participants stressed that the pursuit of justice for the victims must continue at both the local and international levels.

They said accountability is essential to ending impunity and addressing human rights violations linked to the drug war.