The Dutertes have been in control of Davao City for more than two decades with their trademark “bloody and violent” style yet the city’s drug problem continues despite all the bloodshed caused by the “War on Drugs” triggering now Mayor Baste Duterte to declare the same failed war.
The mayor said his declaration of the drug war came after barangay captains in the city reported rampant drug use.
“I will kill you. I can't afford that the family, the communities would be destroyed just because of your selfish venture. You just want to get rich by selling drugs, then you harm other people because of your greediness, then I will kill you,” Duterte told media.
Hours after the declaration, the first official victim was killed in an armed confrontation following a buy-bust operation at 12:56 a.m. Saturday, March 23.
The suspect, identified as Sherwin Familiar “Win” Martin, was the alleged number one drug personality in the city.
Since then, Davao City Police Office (DCPO) claims six more were killed in police encounters – some carrying the old “nanlaban” narrative – as of March 27.
According to DCPO spokesperson Capt. Hazel Tuazon, out of 21 operations conducted from March 22 to 26, 17 people were arrested and 7 were killed.
From the operations, seven firearms were confiscated together with alleged shabu valued at P1.37 million and alleged marijuana worth P7,243.
Unending war
Dahas, a research and advocacy project by the University of the Philippines Diliman and the Department of Conflict and Developmental Studies of Ghent University has reported 97 drug-related killings in Davao City as of March 15.
This constitutes at least 16 percent of the 582 drug-related killings recorded under the Marcos Administration meaning violence and aggression did not stop in Davao before the mayor’s declaration.
When former President Rodrigo Duterte was mayor of Davao, the city was famous for killings carried out by the Davao Death Squad (DDS) estimated to be thousands.
At least 206 DDS killings between 2005 and 2009 alone were identified by Leila De Lima under a Commission on Human Rights Investigation.
After winning the presidency, the Davao killings were expanded nationwide leading to 6,252 drug-related killings as per official numbers but human rights groups put the estimate at a much higher 27,000 to 30,000.
Fast forward to 2023 under Baste Duterte, DCPO reported a total of P29 million worth of illegal drugs seized. Much higher than the P18.3 million reported in 2022.
The country suffered six years of impunity under the Duterte Administration but Davao has been suffering for close to three decades.
Yet after satisfying their blood thirsts, Davao City is far from drug-free.
How many more years do the Dutertes need to purge the city of drugs?
Human rights concern
“The [CHR] expresses grave concern over the recent declaration of Davao City Mayor Sebastian ‘Baste’ Duterte’s war against drugs. Principal to the pursuit of truth and justice relies on the unconditional respect for every person’s most fundamental right — the right to life itself, even if they are arrested for an alleged criminal offense,” said the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).
Human Rights Watch also calls on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to intervene and order the police to stand down.
"[Marcos] risks embarrassing himself before the international community, which has been willing to cut him some slack on human rights if he allows Mayor Duterte not just to continue but intensify this brutal policy," the group said.
New top cop
The drug war declaration came after the turn-over of command ceremony from outgoing DCPO Chief /PCol. Alberto Lupaz to the new top cop P/Col. Richard Bad-ang last March 22.
P/Col. Bad-ang had previously made the news after being relieved of duty for playing golf “when they are bored” during office hours in 2020.
Then PNP Chief Gen. Archie Gamboa even said that promotions might be affected after the incident yet now, Bad-ong is the new DCPO Chief as the mayor declares war on drugs.
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