“Been there, done that—it was a failure.” This encapsulated the sentiments of former Bayan Muna party-list legislator and human rights lawyer Neri Colmenares as he criticized Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte for having resurrected his father’s contentious drug war, raising questions about its efficacy and human rights implications.
“Failure ‘yan eh. Been there, done that na ‘yan. So you’re not inventing something new,” Colmenares stressed.
The local chief executive recently announced the revival in Davao City of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s “war on drugs,” which resulted in the deaths of an estimated 12,000 to 30,000 Filipinos, primarily among the urban poor.
Large-scale extrajudicial violence as a crime solution was also characteristic of the older Duterte’s 22-year tenure as mayor of Davao City before assuming the presidency from 2016 to 2022.
Colmenares criticized the young Duterte’s move, stating, “He used the same tactic na ginamit ng ama niya (that his father has used)…It didn’t work for his father. So, why would you imitate anyway, right? What is the reason? After six years and thousands of deaths, President Duterte’s drug war is a failure if you look at his objectives.”
He urged Mayor Duterte to reconsider his approach, especially in addressing the widespread drug issue in Davao.
Colmenares also expressed hope that Mayor Duterte would abandon his hardline stance to avoid potential legal repercussions.
“I hope they abandon that style and it will backfire on them.”
Mayor Duterte announced his new drug war last March 22, citing actual data indicating an increase in illegal drug use in Davao City.
He warned drug dealers to halt their illicit trade or leave the city immediately, threatening severe consequences otherwise.
“If you won’t leave, if you won’t stop, I will k*** you,” he said.
Colmenares earlier said the resurgence of the drug war in Davao City, coupled with the reported deaths by police, could serve as grounds to expedite the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation of former President Duterte.
As one of the legal representatives for victims of Duterte’s drug war, Colmenares mentioned the possibility of filing a supplemental motion with the ICC, outlining how the killings persist through the renewed anti-drug campaign in Davao City.
