FALSE: Extrajudicial killings in PH are made-up by the opposition

At a glance:

• Claim: The incidences of extrajudicial killings in the country are made-up by the opposition. 
• Rating: FALSE
• The facts: Extrajudicial killings in the Philippines have been acknowledged, reported on, and condemned by rights groups and foreign governments, including the Commission on Human Rights, the Human Rights Measurement Initiative, Human Rights Watch, the US Department of State, and the European Parliament.
• Why we fact-checked this: The Facebook video with these claims have a combined total of 5,700 views and over 17,000 reactions. 

Complete details:

In a video released by the Facebook page “DU30WorldWide DDS” on September 21, 2020, it was stated that extrajudicial killings (EJKs) in the Philippines are made-up by the opposition.

The video said, “Naglabas kasi ng resolusyon ang EU [European Union] kaugnay naman sa kanilang bintang na EJK, at sa rapidly deteriorating human rights sitwasyon diumano dito sa ating bansa na halata naman, gawa-gawa lang at pakana lang ng Dilawan [oposisyon].“

(The EU [European Union] released a resolution about their accusation of EJKs and the rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in country, which is obviously made-up and a scheme by the “yellows” [opposition].)

The video also cited the consequences of these human rights violations, including the withdrawal of trade incentives with the European Union.

The 8-minute long video has garnered a total of over 17,000 reactions and 5,700 views as of Wednesday, April 28. 

This claim is false.

Extrajudicial killings in the Philippines have been acknowledged, reported on, and condemned by human rights groups and foreign governments.

On March 10, Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Commissioner Gwen Pimentel Gana stressed the need for genuine government investigations into the killings connected with the anti-drug campaign of the government. She further emphasized that the “nanlaban” (fought back) narrative must be investigated properly by competent and just trials.  

“We continue to urge the government to take the path of seeking truth and better transparency for the cases being questioned, as well as fostering greater cooperation across government institutions with CHR in pursuit of justice and accountability.”

The Human Rights Measurement Initiative, which is based in New Zealand, noted that the war on drugs in the Philippines has claimed almost 5,000 casualties since the Duterte administration began in June 2016.

In a report published on January 13, Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director Phil Robertson said the government “appeared to take advantage” of COVID-19 regulations to expand the “gruesome and bloody” war on drugs.

The US Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor reported in both 2019 and 2020 that the Philippines’ human rights issues include extrajudicial killings by and on behalf of the government and non-state actors.

Due to such reports, the European Parliament filed a motion for resolution on September 15, 2020, calling on Philippine authorities to “put an immediate end to the extrajudicial killings in the pretext of a ‘war on drugs.'” – Nicole Profeta/Rappler.com

This article was written by a Rappler intern and reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s internship program here.

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