Unite behind Robredo’s call to end drug war
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) supports the statement yesterday of Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo calling for an end to the Duterte government’s so-called war on drugs.
Her description of the drug war as ineffective reflects the sentiments of majority of the Filipino people who are skeptical of Duterte’s real aims but are silenced and paralyzed by the reign of terror and violence.
Soon after Duterte mounted the drug war and unleashed widespread violence, the Party denounced it as a war against the poor and exposed its hypocrisy. It has become crystal clear that Duterte’s drug war is a big hoax. Vice Pres. Robredo correctly observes that the country is now saturated with shabu and other drugs.
Duterte is responsible for the mass killings of tens of thousands of people in his drug war. The Philippine National Police (PNP) officially reports more than 6,000 killed in its “drug operations.” At least 25,000 other murders since 2016 are classified as “under investigation.”
Duterte’s drug war was launched to establish his power over all drug syndicates in the country. It was also used to impose his fascist strongman rule. Duterte used all-out state violence to make the drug syndicates bow to his power. He is now the Philippine drug overlord in control of all drug trafficking from the ports to the streets.
The Party supports the efforts of various sectors to demand that the United Nations Commission on Human Rights be allowed to carry out an independent investigation into the spate of extrajudicial killings in line with its July resolution.
The Party calls on the Filipino people, especially the families and friends of victims, to unite firmly to demand justice and make Duterte criminally responsible for the mass killings perpetrated under his fake war on drugs.