Former Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares, co-counsel for victims of the Duterte administration’s drug war, sharply criticized Vice President Sara Duterte’s statements before the International Criminal Court in The Hague, saying her remarks distorted official records and minimized police responsibility.
Colmenares noted the Vice President’s acknowledgment of rising gun violence under her father’s presidency contradicted the administration’s repeated claims that crime had fallen during the campaign.
“We were surprised why VP Duterte admitted to the escalation of crimes and gun violence during her father’s rule. After all, they have been claiming crime and violence was down,” he said.
He underscored that police were directly implicated in thousands of killings. “The Communication and Complaint filed by Rise Up for Life in 2018 relied only on killings admitted by President Duterte’s PNP — initially 4,410, later 6,252. These are official figures released by the PNP and PDEA for those killed by police during anti-drug operations,” Colmenares explained, adding that witnesses in numerous cases identified police officers as perpetrators.
The Vice President’s suggestion that many deaths “could have resulted from crimes of passion or gun violence” amounted to speculation, Colmenares argued.
“She doesn’t know the police data published during her father’s time. She may use speculation in press releases but not in court proceedings where evidence is required,” he said.
The ICC continues to examine allegations of crimes against humanity linked to the Duterte government’s anti-drug campaign, with Colmenares and other counsels pressing for accountability based on documented police operations. # (ZIA LUNA)
