“License to Kill”

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June 4, he warned: “If you are still into drugs, I am going to kill you. Don’t take this as a joke. I’m not trying to make you laugh. Sons of whores, I’ll really kill you.” 293 Even in his June 30 inauguration speech, Duterte indicted his intent to take the law into his own hands in his anti-drug campaign: They say that my methods are unorthodox and verge on the illegal.… The fight will be relentless and it will be sustained. I know what is legal and what is not. Due process and the rule of law are uncompromising. You mind your work, and I will mind mine. 294 Even at the inaugural dinner that night, Duterte repeated his vow to kill those involved with drugs, even if they were policemen—and urged ordinary citizens to take part in killing drug suspects: These sons of whores are destroying our children. I warn you, don’t go into that, even if you are a policeman, because I will really kill you.… If you know any addicts, go ahead and kill them yourself as getting their parents to do it would be too painful.… For those of you still doing drugs, I finished warning you during the election. Whatever happens…I will tell you now: no regrets. I told you to stop. If something happens to them [addicts], they wanted it. 295 Since taking office, Duterte has again and again vowed to kill drug dealers and users in the midst of skyrocketing reports of extrajudicial executions by the police and so-called vigilantes. Speaking in Davao City on August 6 after visiting a wounded policeman, he warned drug dealers: “My order is shoot to kill you. I don’t care about human rights, you 293 “Rodrigo Duterte's speech at his thanksgiving party,” [n.d.], video clip, YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXNv7qetYKA. 294 “The inaugural address of President Rodrigo Duterte,” [n.d.], video clip, YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=YST2E-i6OKM. 295 “Full Speech: President Rody Duterte Solidarity Dinner at Tondo, Manila,” June 30, 2016, video clip, YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yL7STAuHIsE. See also, “Speech of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte at the Solidarity Dinner,” Official Gazette of the Government of the Philippines, June 30, 2016, http://www.gov.ph/2016/06/30/speech-ofpresident-rodrigo-roa-duterte-at-the-solidarity-dinner/. LICENSE TO KILL 88
etter believe me.” 296 Duterte told military officers in Cebu City: “All those deaths happening here? Let’s add to them. Let me take care of it.” 297 As the death toll rose, international pressure and criticism of Duterte’s anti-drug campaign increased, but he announced he was not bound by international law. On August 17, addressing police commanders at the national headquarters of the Philippine National Police, he said: If I was an ordinary citizen, and I lost my daughter to drugs, she gets pregnant five times a year, she’s despoiled because of drugs, I have lost my son and another son…Bullshit, I will kill you, I will kill you. I will take the law into my own hands. I will not take it sitting down. Forget about the laws of men, forget about the laws of international law, whatever. 298 When various UN officials criticized the widespread killings, Duterte responded by threatening to withdraw the Philippines from the United Nations saying, “What are [the] repercussions [for the widespread killings]? I don’t give a shit [about] them. They are the ones interfering.” 299 At a 1 a.m. news conference, Duterte repeatedly took personal responsibility for the policy of killing drug suspects, and sought to justify the rising death toll by comparing it to the victims of the drug epidemic in the Philippines: Extrajudicial killing? I will do the explanation in public for international release if you want. For the things that really happened during the criminals and the police in operations—punitive operations, police action—I am willing to answer all of them. I assume full responsibility for what happened because I was the one who ordered it. Now, my instructions at the very first 296 “Rodrigo Duterte: ‘I don't care about human rights,’” Al Jazeera, August 6, 2016, http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/08/rodrigo-duterte-human-rights-160806211448623.html. 297 “24 Oras: Pres. Duterte, muling nagbanta laban sa mga nasa gobyernong sangkot umano sa droga,” [n.d.], video clip, YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxkeyWQ1xmk. 298 “’I will Kill You’ President Duterte Message to All Drug Lords,” [n.d.], video clip, YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUPYL426iMo. 299 “‘I don't give a sh*t about them’: Philippines president threatens to leave ‘stupid’ UN,” Russia Today, August 21, 2016, https://www.rt.com/news/356662-duterte-un-threat-drug/. 89 HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH | MARCH 2017
Page 1:
H U M A N R I G H T S W A T C H “
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Copyright © 2017 Human Rights Watc
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Norberto Maderal, George Avanceña,
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SUMMARY HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH | MARCH
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On the afternoon of October 14, 201
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Jayson Asuncion, 37, surrendered to
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A barangay official told Rogie Seba
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A family picture with the coffin of
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Human Rights Watch examined the pol
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Six masked armed men burst into a M
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Relatives of Edward Sentorias, 34,
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and his top subordinates have denie
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“Hitler massacred three million J
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Methodology From October 2016 to Ja
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eal crime wave unleashed by his own
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Duterte was Davao City mayor for mo
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sanctioned death squads in cities i
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“And if in the process you kill o
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The human rights [activists] said I
Page 45 and 46: Adviser Hermogenes Esperon confirme
Page 47 and 48: meant to indicate that police opera
Page 49 and 50: the suspects had been in police cus
Page 51 and 52: uyer was to purchase one (1) piece
Page 53 and 54: Media accounts of the incident said
Page 55 and 56: Approximately 30 minutes after the
Page 57 and 58: no reason to lie about this. That i
Page 59 and 60: Napoleon Miras Ai-Ai, July 24 Baran
Page 61 and 62: [T]he suspect sensed that he was be
Page 63 and 64: Noel Alberto, “Sarah,” Septembe
Page 65 and 66: Antonio’s relatives believe that
Page 67 and 68: cops came on a motorbike. The unifo
Page 69 and 70: locked off the area and told the fa
Page 71 and 72: thereafter, gunshots rang out, and
Page 73 and 74: Virgilio Mirano, September 27 Baran
Page 75 and 76: Jury Jana, October 4 Baragay 120, C
Page 77 and 78: At about 11 p.m. on October 4, Visd
Page 79 and 80: the police. 218 On October 20, the
Page 81 and 82: ody. They covered the body with a b
Page 83 and 84: Heart de Chavez, January 10; “Joa
Page 85 and 86: killings. The police report states
Page 87 and 88: III. Prohibition of Extrajudicial E
Page 89 and 90: Philippine Law The Philippine Const
Page 91 and 92: y the physical perpetrators needs t
Page 93 and 94: Unlike war crimes, crimes against h
Page 95: If I became president, you all shou
Page 99 and 100: On September 20, Duterte responded
Page 101 and 102: noted, since Duterte has taken offi
Page 103 and 104: Promised Immunity to Subordinate Co
Page 105 and 106: V. International Response to Dutert
Page 107 and 108: Duterte responded: “Why are you s
Page 109 and 110: Shortly after the November election
Page 111 and 112: agree to be together or not, whethe
Page 113 and 114: Ahead of Duterte’s state visit to
Page 115 and 116: statement, stating, “Please formu
Page 117 and 118: suspected drug dealers and drug use
Page 119 and 120: The International Criminal Court In
Page 121 and 122: • End the criminalization of the
Page 123 and 124: To the Department of Health • Enc
Page 125 and 126: • Consider reviewing the Philippi
Page 127 and 128: Annex I: Excerpts from Police Repor
Page 129 and 130: direction of the approaching lawmen
Page 131 and 132: Napoleon Miras Ai-Ai, alias “Nono
Page 133 and 134: Garry Catungal, alias “Opay,” o
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“License to Kill”

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