PNP undercounting 'drug war' deaths under Marcos admin, says HRW

The Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Friday called out the Philippine National Police (PNP) for supposedly undercounting the number of fatalities in anti-illegal drug operations since the start of Marcos administration.

In a statement, HRW Deputy Asia Director Phil Robertson said an independent institute has monitored 127 deaths from July 1 to November 7, which is higher than the 46 reported by the PNP for the same period.

“The police reported that 46 people were killed during anti-drug operations since Marcos took office on June 30,” Robertson said.

“But this is far below the estimate of the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center, whose Dahas program monitors 'drug war' violence. The program tallied that 127 people were killed in 'drug war' incidents from July 1, the day after Marcos was sworn in, to November 7,” he added.

According to Robertson, the PNP sought to downplay recent killings in the “war on drugs” by claiming that the number of drug war deaths since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s inauguration was “very minimal.”

“Even if one accepts the PNP’s figures, calling this death toll 'very minimal' smacks of insensitivity and callousness,” he said.

In a recent forum, PNP chief Police General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said only 46 drug suspects have been killed in the over 18,500 police operations since the start of the Marcos administration.

Around 22,000 arrests have also been recorded so far, Azurin added.

Robertson said authorities did not take actions to shift its focus on rehabilitation and their efforts are just “rights abusing” because they are involuntary, coercive, and expose drug users to further stigma.

“In September, [Marcos] said he wanted to focus on rehabilitation, but there is no evidence that the authorities have done anything to make such a shift,” he said.

GMA News Online has sought comments from PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo, but she has yet to respond as of posting time.

Regarding rehabilitation, PNP Public Information Office chief Police Colonel Redrico Maranan told GMA News Online that from July 2016 to October 2022, a total of 654,228  drug users had graduated from the government's rehabilitation program.

“Our record shows that a total of 654,228 persons who used drugs graduated from joint PNP and [local government units] initiated and supported Recovery and Wellness Program from July 2016 to October 2022,” he said in a message.

The HRW, meanwhile, also called out supposed misleading assertions the Philippine government made in its  defense from human rights issues during the Universal Periodic Review of the Philippines recently.

“But so far, all that has been forthcoming from the new administration has been inflated rhetoric masking empty claims,” Robertson said.

GMA News Online has also sought comments from Malacañang but it has yet to give one as of posting time. 

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, for his part, shrugged off HRW's claims.

"Not all views are objective, as they were colored and poisoned by NGOs (non-government organizations) towing NDF lines," Remulla told GMA News Online in a message, referring to the communist group National Democratic Front. —with Joahna Lei Casilao/KBK, GMA Integrated News