MANILA, Philippines — A newly formed group led by a Roman Catholic bishop has begun documenting witness accounts and gathering evidence related to former President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly war on drugs. Organizers said the information could help authorities build cases against law enforcement personnel accused of abuses during the campaign.
Duterte, who completed his six-year term in 2022, was arrested last year and brought to the Netherlands, where the International Criminal Court is investigating allegations of crimes against humanity connected to thousands of drug-related killings.
Senator Ronald dela Rosa, Duterte’s longtime supporter and former police chief, is likewise being pursued by the ICC for his alleged role in carrying out the anti-drug operations. International human rights groups and several Western nations have repeatedly expressed concern over the high death toll linked to the crackdown.
Philippine officials said dela Rosa is currently in hiding as authorities attempt to enforce an arrest warrant that would allow his transfer to the ICC.
While Duterte and dela Rosa deny approving extrajudicial killings, critics point to Duterte’s past speeches in which he openly threatened suspected criminals with death.
Human rights organizations maintain that many police officers involved in the operations have not been fully investigated, with only a limited number ever convicted despite the thousands of reported deaths.
ia/xf
