Bayan Muna chairperson Neri Colmenares has urged the government to take responsibility for filing charges against former President Rodrigo Duterte over drug war-related extrajudicial killings (EJKs), saying it should not fall on the families of victims to pursue justice on their own. Colmenares stated that since 2016, families of victims have struggled to access crucial documents like police reports, blotters, and Scene of the Crime Operations (SOCO) reports needed to substantiate legal cases.
“Let’s not place the burden of filing a case on the shoulders of victims’ families,” Colmenares emphasized. He added that government inaction and lack of transparency have hindered families from seeking justice, leaving them with limited evidence to pursue cases independently.
Calls for government-led action were echoed by leaders of the House Quad Committee (QuadComm), who suggested the Department of Justice (DOJ) should file charges against Duterte. During a recent Senate Blue Ribbon hearing, Duterte expressed willingness to take “full, legal responsibility” for the anti-drug campaign, while asserting he would not apologize for its violence. The former President also questioned why the DOJ had not filed charges against him, acknowledging his long history of directing violent anti-drug operations.
Duterte’s administration remains under investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity linked to the drug war, with recorded deaths from police operations estimated at 6,000. Human rights groups claim the true death toll may be as high as 30,000, including vigilante killings.