Philippines Truth Commission Hearings Begin as Families Challenge Drug War Narrative
First public hearings launched in May 2026 aim to expose lack of due process, with testimony from relatives of those killed during Rodrigo Duterte’s administration.
The Drug War Truth Commission has commenced its first public hearings, marking a significant step in the ongoing efforts to investigate extrajudicial killings linked to the Philippines’ anti-narcotics campaign. Launched in May 2026 by civil society groups, the independent body does not possess prosecutorial powers but aims to gather comprehensive evidence for potential use by domestic or international courts.
Luzviminda Siapo, whose son Raymart was killed in 2017, served as the first witness on Friday. Siapo detailed how her son, who had deformed feet and could not run, was taken by masked men after a neighbour accused him of dealing cannabis. She stated that police allegedly planted a gun and methamphetamine near his body and insisted that Raymart was innocent. Siapo emphasised that her goal is not to seek legal prosecution but to expose the killing of innocent people and the systemic lack of due process.
Forensic pathologist Raquel Fortun, affiliated with the University of the Philippines, confirmed that Raymart was shot at close range. She is currently examining the teenager’s remains as part of the commission’s investigative work. Fortun clarified that while the commission cannot prosecute, it is open to providing information to the government or the International Criminal Court if deemed useful for legal proceedings.
The hearings also featured Randy delos Santos, whose 17-year-old nephew, Kian delos Santos, was killed by police in 2017. Surveillance footage in Kian’s case showed officers dragging him into alleyways and across a basketball court before shooting him three times. While the officers were convicted of murder, delos Santos argued they should have also been charged with planting evidence, highlighting the limitations of previous legal outcomes.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte, who served from 2016 to 2022, was arrested in March 2025 and is currently detained at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. He faces trial for crimes against humanity linked to the drug war. Rights groups estimate the death toll at between 20,000 and 30,000, a figure significantly higher than the government’s estimate of approximately 6,000.
The commission intends to conduct these public hearings regularly over the coming months, allowing victims’ families, witnesses, and survivors to testify to a livestreamed audience. For families like Siapo’s and delos Santos’s, the process offers a platform to question why investigations were bypassed and to seek a measure of closure, even if the legal system has yet to fully address the scale of the violence.
