Marcos admits 'abuses' in Duterte drug war, says syndicates grew 'stronger, wealthier'

ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Outgoing Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (left) speaks to his successor Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. (right) after the departure honors for Duterte at the Malacañang Palace in Manila on June 30, 2022. Arman Baylon, Presidential Photo" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/05/05/20220630-duterte-departure-honors-mnib-14.jpg"/><figcaption>Outgoing Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (left) speaks to his successor Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. (right) after the departure honors for Duterte at the Malacañang Palace in Manila on June 30, 2022. <em>Arman Baylon, Presidential Photo</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Friday acknowledged &quot;abuses by certain elements in the government&quot; under his predecessor&#x27;s war on drugs, which he said failed to stop syndicates from growing &quot;stronger.&quot; </p><p>During the question and answer portion at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, Marcos said former President Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s anti-narcotics drive &quot;focused very much on enforcement&quot;.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/06/01/22/over-7000-deaths-in-6-years-of-dutertes-drug-war-research">War on drugs: ABS-CBN research shows over 7,000 individuals killed in past 6 years</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Because of that, it could be said that there were abuses by certain elements in the government and that has caused some concern about the human rights situation,&quot; Marcos said. </p><p>Officially, 6,181 people were killed in Duterte&#x27;s &quot;war on drugs&quot;, which began in 2016, but rights groups say that up to 30,000 may have died, some innocent victims, and that corruption was rife among security forces that acted with impunity.</p><p>Marcos said that while he could not speak on behalf of Duterte or &quot;what he had in mind,&quot; he noted that illegal drugs remained the source of &quot;much criminality in the Philippines.&quot;</p><p>Drug syndicates, he added, grew &quot;stronger, wealthier and more influential.&quot; </p><p>Marcos said he would focus on <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/18/23/marcos-icc-has-no-jurisdiction-over-ph-for-duterte-drug-war-probe">reeducation and dismantling drug</a> rings. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/28/23/marcos-ph-to-disengage-from-any-contact-with-icc">Marcos: PH to &#x27;disengage from any contact&#x27; with ICC after rejection of appeal to suspend probe</a></li></ul><p> “We have taken enforcement as far as we can. Now, it is time to look at actually going after dismantling these syndicates,” Marcos said. </p><p>“Further back to that process is also… the process of reeducation, of explaining especially to our young people what the damage — what the potential damage is to their lives should they be involved in this way, not only as users, not only as addicts, but also as dealers and operators of these syndicates,” he added. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/26/22/authorities-push-for-rehab-deterrence-in-revamped-drug-fight">Authorities push for rehabilitation, deterrence in grassroots approach to fight drugs</a></li></ul><p>He noted that government was also reviewing courtesy resignations from senior police officials to weed out officers with alleged links to the drug trade. </p><p>The International Criminal Court in January authorized the resumption of its investigation into the drug war and the Davao Death Squad killings in the Philippines. </p><p>Duterte, who initiated the drug war, pulled the Philippines out of the ICC in 2019, a year after the Hague-based tribunal began a preliminary probe into the crackdown.</p><p>Marcos has, so far, ruled out reversing Duterte&#x27;s decision to pull the Philippines out of the ICC. </p><p>Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra and Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla both said Manila, instead of the ICC, should have jurisdiction over alleged drug war crimes.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/31/22/pdea-drug-war-also-focused-on-rehab-over-6200-killed-during-ops">War on drugs: Over 6,200 killed during operations, says PDEA</a></li></ul><div><strong>— With reports from Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN News; Agence France-Presse</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2058863" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><div> </div>

President Marcos acknowledged 'abuses' under his predecessor's war on drugs, which he said failed to stop syndicates from growing 'stronger.' 

Marcos admits 'abuses' in Duterte drug war, says syndicates grew 'stronger, wealthier' | ABS-CBN

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Marcos admits 'abuses' in Duterte drug war, says syndicates grew 'stronger, wealthier'

Marcos admits 'abuses' in Duterte drug war, says syndicates grew 'stronger, wealthier'

ABS-CBN News

Published May 05, 2023 11:48 AM PHT

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Ferdinand Marcos Jr

Bongbong Marcos

drug war

war on drugs

Duterte drug war

Marcos Duterte

Rodrigo Duterte

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