-
Rodrigo Duterte Assumes Position as President of Philippines
Rodrigo Duterte vows to to eliminate the wide-scale drug menace in the country in 6 months, with whatever method he sees fit. This is the beginning of an time of violence and prosecution. This is a significant event in Filipino history, as there will be many victims, leaving a huge scar on the country. -
Police killed 103 suspects
Since the beginning of Duterte's reign, the police have undergone many raids, leaving many victims. These raids are of potential suspects, without the necessity of evidence. Many of those who died may have been innocent. -
USA Show Concern Over Controversial Methods
This is the first instance where a first-world country has shown concern over this issue. Immediate actions were not taken at this moment in time. -
The Term "Death Under Investigation (DUI)" is First Used by a Member of Senate
Dela Rosa used the term "deaths under investigation" (DUI) for the first time in a hearing by the Senate committee on public order regarding possible revisions to laws that would help anti-illegal drug efforts. There were 899 deaths falling under this category from July 1 to August 15. Among these, only 22 cases were filed in court. These DUIs, added Dela Rosa, took place outside legitimate police operations. In a press briefing after the hearing, Dela Rosa further described the term DUI. -
Death Count Reaches 2000
Two months into Duterte's time in office, the death count reaches 2000. This includes police raids, executions, and murders of suspects. -
Death Toll Reaches 4000
The deaths caused by "investigation" reaches 4000. This number may be greater, as these are the only official claimed deaths. This number may also be inconsistent, as the media can only access deaths filed in varying categories. -
Issues about Killings with Corrupt Intent Arise
The Philippine National Police, via a statement to an Amnesty International report, spoke of detailed stories of alleged police corruption in the war on drugs:"... [O]f the 4,744 murders under investigation that both local and foreign observers wrongfully refer to as 'extrajudicial killing', 662 were motivated by personal grudge... 3,459 were determined to be non-drug related incidents" The list provided only accounted for 716 deaths unrelated to drugs, leaving no explanation for the other 2743. -
False Evidence Uncovered
At this point, the police have been confirmed to have used false evidence to perform raids on houses. This causes more protests to ensue, leaving many areas in chaos. -
The Deaths Have Surpassed 20,000
An opposition senator in the Philippines said the death toll in the government's war on drugs has now surpassed 20,000 since President Rodrigo Duterte came to office in 2016. Another 16,355 homicide cases, from July 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017, have been classified as "under investigation." Based on the government report, this means the real number of deaths related to the drug war is at least 20,322, Senator Trillanes noted. In the previous 4, before Duterte's reign, DUIs only counted 5,000.
