KARAPATAN ON THE CONFIRMATION OF MURDER, ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGES VS DUTERTE
KARAPATAN Public Information
INITIAL PRESS STATEMENT
23 April 2026
Reference: Cristina Palabay, KARAPATAN secretary general, 09173162831
KARAPATAN Public Information Desk, 09189790580
KARAPATAN ON THE CONFIRMATION OF MURDER, ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGES VS DUTERTE
The International Criminal Court’s confirmation of murder and attempted charges against former President Rodrigo Duterte is the most recent vindication of the Filipino people’s efforts to uphold and pursue justice and accountability for the killings of thousands under Duterte’s bloody regime.
As human rights advocates, we witnessed the mass murder of poor Filipinos in the sham drug war during the six years of Duterte’s tyrannical rule. Peasants, workers, indigenous people, students, lawyers, women and human rights advocates were killed to suppress dissent. Thousands lost their loved ones, communities were terrorized, witnesses were intimidated and silenced, advocates were persecuted. Hence, this major victory is most welcome – we pursued and fought for justice, and Duterte will stand trial soon and will remain in jail.
This victory though is bittersweet. The thousands of lives taken by those who spit on human dignity cannot be brought back. Their families remain stricken with grief on their loss, and the majority remain as poor as ever. Extrajudicial killings continue, in the slums of Metro Manila, in the fields of Negros, and in most places in the country where injustice and impunity continues to reign.
As we all should be jubilant and inspired by this recent win for justice, let us also take this occasion to reinvigorate our struggle for genuine justice and peace in our country, so that fascists like Duterte and the oppressive system that they uphold and represent are made fully accountable and defeated.
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KARAPATAN is an alliance of human rights organizations and programs, human rights desks and committees of people’s organizations, and individual advocates committed to the defense and promotion of people’s rights and civil liberties. It monitors and documents cases of human rights violations, assists and defends victims and conducts education, training and campaign. It was established in 1995.