Policy Paper

Subject and section Professor’s name Date Policy Paper: A Critical Analysis of the Philippines’ War on Drugs: President Rodrigo Duterte Introduction The three-year administration of President Rodrigo Duterte’s War on Drugs has been one of the most widely debated topics in Philippine history. It was aimed at the elimination of the use of illegal drugs and drug-related crime using increased policing measures. Measures based on this policy have been alluded to having cut down on crime in some societies even though human rights abuses have been rife, including extrajudicial killings (Kishi and Buenaventura). This policy paper reviews the War on Drugs using practical, legal and human rights aspects as the assessment criteria. It also offers specific policy suggestions for greater long-term effectiveness of drug control and the need to change the existing legislation and enhance the responsibility for its implementation. Overview of the War on Drugs Former Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte campaigned and, immediately after winning the presidency, positioned the crackdown on narcotics as a key policy priority. The policy instructed the Philippine National Police (PNP) to conduct massive anti-drug operations, which led to extrajudicial killings. The Philippines had already witnessed his PPP endorsement of extrajudicial killings, police shootings, and many other abuses. Yet, Duterte gave public blessing to these brutalities. Still, Duterte’s administration has continued to claim that the policy is essential to protect the country, asserting that it is aimed at combating drug cartels (Ochoa and Ong). Some of the most high-profile incidents of police violence happened in 2017. Specifically, in Caloocan, a 17-year-old Kian de los Santos was killed during an anti-drug operation. Thus, the policy has human rights consequences, especially regarding vulnerable groups of people, as a local incident that caused national anger and international condemnation showed (UNICEF). The existing legal framework under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (Republic Act No. 9165) has been criticized for allowing excessive police discretion in anti-drug operations. While the law aims to combat drug trafficking and abuse, its application has often led to violations of due process. There is a need for reform within this framework to ensure that law enforcement acts within legal bounds and respects human rights (The LawPhil Project). Impact on Crime and Drug Use There has been an improvement, up to some extent, in the outcome of the War on Drugs. On the one hand, the government said that the campaign had lowered the crime rate and reduced drug activities, with the PDEA boasting of significant seizures of drugs and the dismantling of drug groups. However, data analytics other than those offered by the government counters the narrative. Kishi and Buenaventura (2021) found that the Philippine government has killed at least 7,742 civilians in the course of anti-drug operations by 2021, an increase of 25% compared to the figure provided by the government. These are many and include police or vigilante-instigated deaths, which depict the violent nature of the campaign. Moreover, the location of violence started moving from Metro Manila to Central Luzon, particularly to Nueva Ecija, due to drug-related violent deaths. Human Rights Colonization and Concerns This is an area where one can observe the human rights effect of the War on Drugs. The policy has resulted in planned shootouts...