The atrocious legacy of former President Duterte’s bloody drug crackdown will not be forgotten, nor will it be missed.
An unhinged executioner gone berserk, Duterte unleashed a violent campaign that claimed over 27,000 lives, including 17-year-old Kian Delos Santos, whose tragic death seven years ago today sparked international outrage. His killing, carried out by police officers acting as mercenaries and dogs of the state, exposed the brutal realities of the war on drugs.
It led to a Senate inquiry and a historic trial that resulted in the conviction of three Caloocan policemen, sentenced to 20 to 40 years in prison for Kian’s murder. While this marked a rare victory for justice, the struggle is far from over.
The continued difficulty in holding all those responsible to account, particularly due to the Philippine government’s resistance to cooperating with the International Criminal Court, underscores the need for relentless vigilance.
Kian’s story is a stark reminder of the devastating human cost of the drug war. On his seventh death anniversary, we are called to persist in the fight for justice, upholding human dignity and the rule of law.
Read UPJC’s Aug. 19, 2017 statement in full:
