Truth body to track, record EJKs

A CIVILIAN-LED truth commission was launched in Manila on Wednesday to investigate and document thousands of extrajudicial killings (EJKs) associated with the Duterte administration’s “war on drugs.”

In a statement, the Philippine Truth and Reconciliation Commission said it aims to establish a credible public record of abuses while recommending accountability, reparations, and institutional reforms to prevent future violence.

The initiative comes nearly 10 years after the escalation of drug-related killings in 2016 under the Duterte administration. Former President Rodrigo R. Duterte was arrested in March 2025 and detained by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, where he faces charges of crimes against humanity.

The Philippine government estimated that the campaign resulted in 6,252 deaths during law enforcement operations. Human rights groups estimate the toll is as high as 30,000.

“The truth must be protected not only as a matter of record, but as a matter of dignity for the families who have carried these stories for years. The truth commission exists so these stories can be heard, verified, preserved, and acted upon,” Pablo Virgilio “Ambo” S. David, bishop of Kalookan, said as quoted in the statement. –

Mr. David will serve as special adviser to the commission’s five commissioners: former ICC judge Raul C. Pangalangan, forensic pathologist Raquel Barros del Rosario-Fortun, psychosocial expert Al B. Fuertes, Adamson University President Daniel Franklin E. Pilario, and human rights journalist Carlos H. Conde.

Mr. Pangalangan, the commission’s chairman, said the body is a truth-seeking initiative rather than a prosecutorial entity.

He said the commission is independent of government control and that its findings may be shared with national and international agencies that could use them to support legal proceedings.

“We will issue our report and we will make sure that responsible government agencies will receive our report. If they find material in the testimony that can advance their own investigations, for me that will be a most welcome development,” Mr. Pangalangan said during a livestreamed news briefing.

“But we are a truth commission, and the prosecutorial function is, of course, governmental… we are an initiative of the Church and of civil society,” he added.

The human rights watchdog said its work will involve public and private hearings to gather firsthand testimony from victims, witnesses, and potentially repentant members of the police force.

The commission is supported by academic institutions, civil society groups, and international church organizations. Mr. David noted that a major German charitable institution, which previously funded truth-seeking efforts in Guatemala, has also offered support.

The body plans to release periodic reports every six months and conclude its work with a final comprehensive report on the human toll of the anti-illegal drug campaign. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking