The neglect of colonial powers to repair government structures and accountability in the global south after the 18th century has created corruption in many developing countries today. There are cases of countries having little to no rule of law, access to justice, or well-developed institutions. This affects the lifestyles and well being of their citizens, along with the trust they have in their government. In the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, president since 2016, has committed atrocious crimes against humanity that he has personally admitted doing himself with the assistance of his cruel law enforcement and militia. He racked up more than sixteen million votes through populist narratives that pandered to the interests of the elite Filipino-Chinese population; that crime and drug use was the greatest ailment against The Philippines, and very drastic crime control methods needed to be taken to keep the nation’s families safe. With Duterte being the central government official, and with the support of his loyal followers, a type of “War on Drugs” has commenced in the country. According to the book, State and Society in The Philippines, P. N Abinales reports that “as of March 22, 2017, over 7,000 have been killed in anti-drug police operations and/or vigilante-style assassinations of suspected drug addicts and pushers” (Abinales 1).

The new government of the Philippines is not only committing these abuses, there seems to be a narrative of pride and saviorism radiating from Duterte’s administration. The politician himself, according to Al Jazeera, stated “’Let’s kill another 32 every day, maybe we can reduce what ails this country,’ local media quoted [Duterte] as saying in a speech during the 19th-anniversary commemoration of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption at the presidential office” (Al Jazeera). These types statements aren’t uncommon coming from the president; he boasts about being personally responsible for murders of criminals, and certainly targets low income areas and communities for drug ‘crimes.’ All of these concerns are exactly what Rodrigo Duterte was planning for. Nicole Curato from the Journal of Contemporary Asia said that, along with his promise of a killing spree of 50,000 criminals, “Duterte vowed to give the police shoot-to-kill orders and pardon officers if they are charged with human rights abuses. He also calls for the restoration of the death penalty by hanging” (Curato 150). Along with violence perpetrated directly on citizens by the policing, it appears that the people of the Philippines don’t have the right to access fair trials and well-informed judiciary system because their own police aren’t accountable to anyone except Duterte, who acts as the source of discrimination and abuse in the first place.

Protesters display an effigy of President Rodrigo Duterte during a march towards the Philippine Congress ahead of Duterte’s State of the Nation address in Quezon city, Metro Manila Philippines July 24, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro

Amnesty International has done extensive research surrounding the actions of Rodrigo Duterte’s Administration, including his invoking of internal armed conflicts, the dehumanizing attitude & treatment against the nation’s poor and many more deviances from the International Declaration of Human Rights. They reported that “Attacks against human rights defenders increased, as the President encouraged police to “shoot” human rights defenders who were ‘obstructing justice’” (AI). Non Profit organizations are being targeted, with Duterte pushing out any intervention against his extensive planning. With citizens having little access to justice or any institutions to protect them, there are challenges around confronting the Filipino government. Because of Duterte’s ‘the people versus them (criminals)’ rhetoric, there seems to be no outlet for citizens’ voices, and the length of Rodrigo Duterte’s reign is unbeknownst to the world. But human rights groups and the powerful voices and activism of Filipinos can be the first step in approaching the tyranny of Duterte’s rule.

The cruelty, damage, and loss that the Duterte Administration has created in the Philippines hinders the achievement of multiple Sustainable Development Goals suggested and advocated for by the United Nations. Progression is being slowed because of the president’s extrajudicial actions, making the institutions of the Filipino government weak and untrustworthy, especially when it comes to the criminal justice and military systems of the country. This is directly adjacent from the sixteenth SDG, Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. This imperative is made to ensure that countries worldwide “ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels, substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms, and promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development.” All of these goals are utterly essential for providing justice for the impoverished communities of the Philippines, who have faced much higher surveillance and police action compared to their elite and middle class counterparts. 

(AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

The disparity of Duterte’s murders between classes is in opposition to the tenth SDG, Reduced Inequalities. The administration itself is making the choice to target low income communities in the country. The government works with law enforcement to perpetrate violence without facing any consequences, in fact, the police are obligated to be as merciless as possible while carrying out these killings. This phases out any sort of due process, fair trial, or recognition before the law, as stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Without the proper execution of justice, The Philippines has become an exemplary case of human rights being violated by a corrupt government that discriminates a group of people while also performing acts against humanity without justice to its people.

Curato, Nicole. Flirting with Authoritarian Fantasies? Rodrigo Duterte and the New Terms of Philippine Populism, Journal of Contemporary Asia. 2017.

“Death Toll Continues to Rise in Duterte’s War on Drugs.” GCC News | Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 17 Aug. 2017.

Abinales, P. N., and Donna J. Amoroso. State and Society in the Philippines. Rowman & Littlefield, 2017.

PHILIPPINES 2017/2018. Amnesty International, 2017, www.amnesty.org/en/countries/asia-and-the-pacific/philippines/report-philippines/

Images

• http://www.atimes.com/article/duterte-renews-anti-west-pro-china-views/protesters-display-an-effigy-of-president-rodrigo-duterte-during-a-march-towards-the-philippine-congress-ahead-of-dutertes-state-of-the-nation-address-in-quezon-city-metro-manila/
• https://www.thousandwonders.net/Davao
• https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/10/26/national/politics-diplomacy/duterte-vows-not-abandon-japan-security-matters-philippine-china-ties-grow-cozy/

Video: “The Kill List: The Brutal Drug War in the Philippines.” YouTube, YouTube, 21 Sept. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW-QuEpfoxI