CARDINAL Pablo Virgilio David of the Diocese of Kalookan is on the right track in calling on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to establish a National Truth and Reconciliation Commission to exact accountability from those responsible for the bloody war on drugs of his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, now awaiting trial for crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
It’s a timely and appropriate proposal. The Truth Commission, according to the Church leader, could provide a safe venue for victims and witnesses to speak, and encourage full disclosure by those involved under legal safeguards. It will review thousands of killings still under investigation, recommend reparations and psychosocial support for victims’ families and propose reforms to prevent a repeat of the abuses in the brutal anti-narcotics campaign.
The goal, Cardinal David pointed out, would not be vengeance, but to establish truth, promote accountability, extend compassion to victims and help our country move forward with honesty and moral clarity.
“Truth-telling is not an act of reopening wounds—it is the only path by which wounds can finally heal,” he emphasized.
A Truth Commission is needed now because for years, the Duterte administration had insisted on the legitimacy and necessity behind the anti-drug campaign, often dismissing allegations of extrajudicial killings as political attacks or media exaggerations.
The Church prelate’s proposal would institutionalize a process of verification and acknowledgment of the scale of the atrocities that had been consistently obscured by fear, misinformation, and silence.
A Truth Commission could also prevent future abuses. It can
propose policy reforms, such as police accountability mechanisms to community-based drug rehabilitation programs, to prevent recurrence.
Moreover, a Truth Commission could enhance civic education and bring about better awareness of human rights, rule of law, and democratic values, especially among the youth.
Cardinal David’s appeal, fully supported by civil society and the families of victims, seeks to confront a painful past with honesty and courage.
As he wrote, the goal is not vengeance, but “to help our country move forward with honesty and moral clarity.”
It is therefore not just a legal or political proposal, but also an opportunity for the nation to undertake a serious effort at moral regeneration.
If President Marcos heeds this call, it could signal a dramatic shift from denial to acknowledgment, from impunity to accountability, and from trauma to healing.
In essence, this is not merely a call for investigation but for national catharsis—and the first step toward rebuilding trust in the rule of law.
