{"id":13370,"date":"2026-06-12T06:55:44","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T05:55:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/amp.ngo\/?p=13370"},"modified":"2026-06-11T15:57:20","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T14:57:20","slug":"civilian-led-truth-commission-on-drug-war-crimes-established","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/amp.ngo\/en\/civilian-led-truth-commission-on-drug-war-crimes-established\/","title":{"rendered":"Civilian-led truth commission on drug war crimes established"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>A coalition of civil society groups, academics, and faith leaders <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rappler.com\/philippines\/how-truth-commission-investigate-rodrigo-duterte-drug-war\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">launched<\/a> the Philippine Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate and document drug-related killings and abuses during the so-called \u201cwar on drugs\u201d under former President Rodrigo Duterte.<\/p>\n<p>The commission <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rappler.com\/philippines\/how-truth-commission-investigate-rodrigo-duterte-drug-war\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">is<\/a> civilian-led and independent from the Philippine government. Commission chair Raul Pangalangan, a former judge at the International Criminal Court (ICC), <a href=\"https:\/\/tribune.net.ph\/2026\/05\/27\/ejk-truth-commission-launch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">headed<\/a> the initiative\u2019s launching event in Manila on May 27, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>The commission <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rappler.com\/philippines\/how-truth-commission-investigate-rodrigo-duterte-drug-war\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">includes<\/a> four other commissioners, who are experts in different fields relevant to the investigation:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Barros del Rosario-Fortun (Commissioner for Forensic Sciences and Independent Investigation),<\/li>\n<li>Al Fuertes (Commissioner for Psychosocial Support and Trauma Healing),<\/li>\n<li>Daniel Franklin Pilario (Commissioner for Church and Education, Truth Literacy, and Institutional Reform), and<\/li>\n<li>Human rights journalist Carlos Conde (Commissioner for Public Documentation, Transparency, and Democratic Accountability).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Also present <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rappler.com\/philippines\/how-truth-commission-investigate-rodrigo-duterte-drug-war\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">was<\/a> the commission\u2019s adviser Cardinal Pablo Virgilio \u201cAmbo\u201d David as well as human rights advocates, religious leaders, and members of civil society, such as Fr. Flaviano \u201cFlavie\u201d Villanueva.<\/p>\n<p>The commission was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rappler.com\/philippines\/how-truth-commission-investigate-rodrigo-duterte-drug-war\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">set<\/a> up nearly ten years after Rodrigo Duterte began his anti-drug campaign that led according to the Commission on Human Rights to at least 27,000 deaths in 2018. It <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bulatlat.com\/2026\/05\/28\/truth-commission-established-ejk-families-press-for-inclusion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">aims<\/a> to create a public record of survivor testimonies and institutional violence and fill gaps left by earlier government investigations.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The Truth Commission was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rappler.com\/philippines\/how-truth-commission-investigate-rodrigo-duterte-drug-war\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">created<\/a> to make sure that the stories of victims, survivors, and families are heard, verified, and preserved. This is not about replacing the courts or assigning guilt. It is about building a credible truth record that can guide accountability, healing, reform, and the prevention of future violence,&#8221; Pangalangan stated during the launch.<\/p>\n<p><em>Public hearings and survivor-centered approach<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Public truth hearings will be a key part of the commission\u2019s work. These will <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rappler.com\/philippines\/how-truth-commission-investigate-rodrigo-duterte-drug-war\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">allow<\/a> survivors, families, witnesses, and experts to share their experiences in settings designed to secure safety and dignity. The hearings <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rappler.com\/philippines\/how-truth-commission-investigate-rodrigo-duterte-drug-war\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">aim<\/a> to document lived experiences, institutional patterns, historical background, and the wider social impacts of violence.<\/p>\n<p>The commission\u2019s findings will be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rappler.com\/philippines\/how-truth-commission-investigate-rodrigo-duterte-drug-war\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">compiled<\/a> into periodic reports and recommendations for relevant agencies, including the Department of Justice, the National Bureau of Investigation, and the Commission on Human Rights. Subject to privacy protections, these reports will also be made available to the public and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rappler.com\/philippines\/how-truth-commission-investigate-rodrigo-duterte-drug-war\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">submitted<\/a> to oversight bodies such as Philippine Congress and the President.<\/p>\n<p>Families of extrajudicial killing (EJK) victims and advocacy groups have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bulatlat.com\/2026\/05\/28\/truth-commission-established-ejk-families-press-for-inclusion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">called<\/a> for increased direct participation in the commission\u2019s work. &#8220;We know how to speak the truth. We have been telling our stories for years. Consultations with the victims and their families must be integral in the process,&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bulatlat.com\/2026\/05\/28\/truth-commission-established-ejk-families-press-for-inclusion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">stated<\/a> Jane Lee, wife of a drug war victim.<\/p>\n<p>Advocacy groups, including Rise Up for Life and for Rights and Hustisya, have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bulatlat.com\/2026\/05\/28\/truth-commission-established-ejk-families-press-for-inclusion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">called<\/a> for the representation of victims and their relatives on the commission panel, noting that only one woman, Dr. Fortun, was appointed as a commissioner.<\/p>\n<p>Pangalangan <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rappler.com\/philippines\/how-truth-commission-investigate-rodrigo-duterte-drug-war\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said<\/a> the commission\u2019s records may aid both national and international investigations, including current cases at the ICC, where Duterte is being held on charges of crimes against humanity.<\/p>\n<p>The Commissioners emphasized that their work is not intended to replace courts or the ICC but to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rappler.com\/philippines\/how-truth-commission-investigate-rodrigo-duterte-drug-war\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">create<\/a> a comprehensive record that can encourage healing and reform. Dr. Fuertes <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rappler.com\/philippines\/how-truth-commission-investigate-rodrigo-duterte-drug-war\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">explained<\/a> that the primary aim is to uphold the dignity of drug war victims. He also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rappler.com\/philippines\/how-truth-commission-investigate-rodrigo-duterte-drug-war\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">stressed<\/a> the importance of protecting the rights of accused individuals and all others affected by these proceedings.<\/p>\n<p>Lawyer and ICC representative for the victims, Joel Ruiz Butuyan, welcomes the establishment of the truth commission. He argues that the commission can look into crimes beyond the ICC period of investigation, <a href=\"https:\/\/opinion.inquirer.net\/192145\/what-the-truth-commission-can-investigate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">meaning<\/a> before November 1, 2011, and after March 16, 2019. Notably Rodrigo Duterte <a href=\"https:\/\/opinion.inquirer.net\/192145\/what-the-truth-commission-can-investigate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">started<\/a> his \u201cwar on drugs\u201d already during his term as then Davao City mayor and drug-related killings also persist during the current administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.<\/p>\n<p>Butuyan also stresses that the commission <a href=\"https:\/\/opinion.inquirer.net\/192145\/what-the-truth-commission-can-investigate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">could<\/a> investigate and prepare cases for litigation involving mid-level officers who gave the order to kill and those who pulled the trigger. Moreover, he <a href=\"https:\/\/opinion.inquirer.net\/192145\/what-the-truth-commission-can-investigate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">emphasizes<\/a> that the ICC prosecution is limited to crimes against humanity and of murder and frustrated murder. The commission, according to \u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/opinion.inquirer.net\/192145\/what-the-truth-commission-can-investigate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Butuyan<\/a>, could also <a href=\"https:\/\/opinion.inquirer.net\/192145\/what-the-truth-commission-can-investigate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">help<\/a> victims of other crimes, such as disappearances, unlawful arrest, torture and sexual violence, to document their cases.<\/p>\n<p>An advantage of the commission is also that it \u201ccannot be accused of political bias unlike the Marcos administration,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/opinion.inquirer.net\/192145\/what-the-truth-commission-can-investigate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">says<\/a> Butuyan. The commission <a href=\"https:\/\/opinion.inquirer.net\/192145\/what-the-truth-commission-can-investigate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">aims<\/a> to unravel the truth, help victims to heal, memorize the atrocities, and create a record of the human rights violations. The victims\u2019 names need to be <a href=\"https:\/\/opinion.inquirer.net\/192145\/what-the-truth-commission-can-investigate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">cleared<\/a>, says Butuyan, as they were not drug addicts or murderers.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Photo \u00a9 Raffy Lerma<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A coalition of civil society groups, academics, and faith leaders launched the Philippine Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate and document drug-related killings and abuses during the so-called \u201cwar on drugs\u201d under former President Rodrigo Duterte. The commission is civilian-led and independent from the Philippine government. Commission chair Raul Pangalangan, a former judge at the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":9519,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[64,73,58,59,62,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13370","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-war-on-drugs-en","category-aktuelles-en","category-human-rights-news","category-internal-affairs","category-international-institutions","category-news-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/amp.ngo\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13370","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/amp.ngo\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/amp.ngo\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amp.ngo\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amp.ngo\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13370"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/amp.ngo\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13370\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13431,"href":"https:\/\/amp.ngo\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13370\/revisions\/13431"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amp.ngo\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9519"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/amp.ngo\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13370"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amp.ngo\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13370"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amp.ngo\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13370"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}