Philippine Drug War

The Philippine Drug War, also known locally as the War on Drugs (Filipino: Giyera Kontra Droga,
lit. "War Against Drugs"), refers to the drug policy in the Philippines initiated by the Philippine
government under President Rodrigo Duterte.[14][15] It has been criticized locally and internationally for
the number of deaths resulting from police operations, and alleged summary executions. According
to police reports, 3,900 deaths were legal operations and that all of those who died fought against
the police force. All deaths included Filipinos who fought against the police and possessed definite
amount of drugs and guns.[16]
In February 2018, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague announced a “preliminary
examination” into killings linked to the Philippine government’s “war on drugs” since at least July 1,
2016.

Background[edit]
See also: Extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances in the Philippines
Rodrigo Duterte won the 2016 Philippine presidential election promising to kill tens of thousands of
criminals, and urging people to kill drug addicts.[17] As Mayor of Davao City, Duterte was criticized by
groups like Human Rights Watch for the extrajudicial killings of hundreds of street children, petty
criminals and drug users carried out by the Davao Death Squad, a vigilante group with which he was
allegedly involved.[18][19][20] Duterte has alternately confirmed and denied his involvement in the alleged
Davao Death Squad killings.[21]Duterte has benefited from reports in the national media that he made
Davao into one of the world's safest cities, and he cites this as justification for his drug policy,[22][23][24]
Philippine anti-narcotic officials have admitted that Duterte uses flawed and exaggerated data to
support his claim that the Philippines is becoming a "narco-state".[25] The Philippines has a low
prevalence rate of drug users compared to the global average, according to the United Nations
Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).[26] Duterte said in his state of the nation address that data from
the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency shows that there were 3 million drug addicts 2 to 3 years
ago, which he said may have increased to 3.7 million. However, according to the Philippine
Dangerous Drugs Board, the government drug policy-making body, 1.8 million Filipinos used illegal
drugs (mostly marijuana) in 2015, the latest official survey published; a third of them had used illegal
drugs only once in the past 13 months.

Background[edit]
See also: Extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances in the Philippines
Rodrigo Duterte won the 2016 Philippine presidential election promising to kill tens of thousands of
criminals, and urging people to kill drug addicts.[17] As Mayor of Davao City, Duterte was criticized by
groups like Human Rights Watch for the extrajudicial killings of hundreds of street children, petty
criminals and drug users carried out by the Davao Death Squad, a vigilante group with which he was
allegedly involved.[18][19][20] Duterte has alternately confirmed and denied his involvement in the alleged
Davao Death Squad killings.[21]Duterte has benefited from reports in the national media that he made
Davao into one of the world's safest cities, and he cites this as justification for his drug policy,[22][23][24]
Philippine anti-narcotic officials have admitted that Duterte uses flawed and exaggerated data to
support his claim that the Philippines is becoming a "narco-state".[25] The Philippines has a low
prevalence rate of drug users compared to the global average, according to the United Nations
Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).[26] Duterte said in his state of the nation address that data from
the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency shows that there were 3 million drug addicts 2 to 3 years
ago, which he said may have increased to 3.7 million. However, according to the Philippine
Dangerous Drugs Board, the government drug policy-making body, 1.8 million Filipinos used illegal
drugs (mostly marijuana) in 2015, the latest official survey published; a third of them had used illegal
drugs only once in the past 13 months.