Rowegie Abanto

Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David shares reflections on ‘Walking Together in Hope: Synodality and the Jubilee of Hope’ during the 11th Philippine Conference on New Evangelization (PCNE XI: Padayon) at the University of Santo Tomas Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila on Friday, July 18, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File

Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio S. David shares reflections on ‘Walking Together in Hope: Synodality and the Jubilee of Hope’ during the 11th Philippine Conference on New Evangelization (PCNE XI: Padayon) at the University of Santo Tomas Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila on Friday, July 18, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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PCNE XI: Padayon

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176094725828220250718-11th-pcne-ust-david-MT6.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" spellcheck="false" style="text-align:left">Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David shares reflections on ‘Walking Together in Hope: Synodality and the Jubilee of Hope’ during the 11th Philippine Conference on New Evangelization (PCNE XI: Padayon) at the University of Santo Tomas Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila on Friday, July 18, 2025. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David has said that former President Rodrigo Duterte should be held accountable for his bloody campaign against illegal drugs, noting the leader was the top enabler of the killings during his term.</p><p>Duterte is now detained at The Hague in the Netherlands to face crimes against humanity charges tied to his anti-narcotics drive before the International Criminal Court.</p><p>The <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/10/icc-rejects-duterte-s-interim-release-plea-1714">ICC earlier this month rejected Duterte&#x27;s appeal for a provisional release</a>, saying his detention continues to be necessary.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/17/icc-orders-medical-exam-on-duterte-2007">ICC orders medical exam on Duterte</a></div><p>When asked if the international court made the right decision to reject Duterte&#x27;s interim release, David said: &quot;&#x27;Yun ay desisyon ng ICC, and yeah kasi kailangan humarap — actually hindi lang siya. Marami kailangang humarap at managot.&quot;</p><p>(That&#x27;s the decision of the ICC. And yeah, because he needs to face — actually not just him who needs to face justice, but many need to be held accountable.)</p><p>&quot;Managot ang dapat managot. Kasi siya talaga &#x27;yung pinaka-enabler nitong mga killings na ito,&quot; the cardinal told ABS-CBN News&#x27; Karmina Constantino.  </p><p>(People should be held to account. He was the top enabler of the killings.)</p><p>David has been a fierce and outspoken critic of Duterte and his drug war since he was installed as bishop of Kalookan, <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/19/doj-conviction-of-4-cops-in-caloocan-drug-war-killing-shows-justice-system-works-1416">a city in the capital region that also saw brutal killings</a>.</p><p>The Catholic leader, now president of the <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/11/29/18/cbcp-defends-bishop-david-from-dutertes-allegations">Catholic Bishops&#x27; Conference of the Philippines</a>, and the tough-talking former Philippine president had sparred on several occasions at the height of the war on drugs over the policy itself or because of <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/04/04/19/bishop-loses-facebook-access-after-viral-duterte-criticism-report">Duterte&#x27;s</a> <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/11/27/18/i-only-take-vitamins-fruit-shake-bishop-david-scoffs-at-dutertes-fresh-allegations">controversial statements.</a></p><p>In the interview, David recalled that the implementation of the war on drugs was his &quot;most difficult years&quot; as a Catholic leader, saying it was &quot;so bad&quot; because of the cold-blooded killings that kept him awake at night.</p><p>&quot;I would look at [the] faces of dead bodies almost every day, sometimes in one day, 20 people [were killed],&quot; he said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/02/26/19/duterte-critic-bishop-david-admits-getting-death-threats">Duterte critic Bishop David admits getting death threats</a></div><p>David pointed out that Duterte himself in public speeches encouraged the killings, which the prelate said emboldened the police force to carry out the order.</p><p>&quot;&#x27;Yun ang pinakamalaking pananagutan niya, he enabled the whole system of killings, napakaraming biktima,&quot; he said, adding that he previously called Duterte&#x27;s drug war policy immoral, illegal, and anti-poor.</p><p>(That was his biggest liability: he enabled the whole system of killings, and there were a lot of victims.)</p><p>The Philippine government officially recognizes more than 6,000 killings during Duterte&#x27;s war on drugs, but human rights groups say the toll — mostly poor drug dealers and users — could be as high as 30,000. </p><p>During his presidency, Duterte said that he launched the war on drugs to save Filipino families and the youth from the negative impacts of illicit substances.</p><p>Duterte at some point <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/28/duterte-says-he-takes-full-responsibility-for-bloody-drug-war-1237">assumed responsibility</a> for the bloody anti-narcotics campaign but also denied that killing was policy.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/28/duterte-denies-responsibility-for-death-of-kian-delos-santos-2013">Duterte denies responsibility for death of Kian Delos Santos</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>FROM THE ARCHIVES</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b5jXZCujb1k?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Fs9SSzUqYYY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David has said that former President Rodrigo Duterte should be held accountable for his bloody campaign against illegal drugs, noting the leader was the top enabler of the killings during his term.</p>

Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David has said that former President Rodrigo Duterte should be held accountable for his bloody campaign against illegal drugs, noting the leader was the top enabler of the killings during his term.

​Cardinal David after ICC rejected Duterte interim release: 'Managot ang dapat managot'

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​Cardinal David after ICC rejected Duterte interim release: 'Managot ang dapat managot'

Rowegie Abanto,

ABS-CBN News

Published October 20, 2025 04:18 PM PHT

Read More:

Rodrigo Duterte

Pablo Virgilio David

Cardinal Ambo

Cardinal David

War On Drugs

Drug War

ICC

International Criminal Court

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Cardinal David after ICC rejected Duterte interim release: 'Managot ang dapat managot'

Cardinal David after ICC rejected Duterte interim release: 'Managot ang dapat managot'