CITATIONS

Soon after taking office on June 30, President Marcos stated he would continue the ‘war against drugs’ initiated by his predecessor. While Marcos claimed his administration would do a ‘slightly different’ anti-drug campaign by focusing on the rehabilitation of drug users, the unlawful use of force by the police and government agents continued. Monitoring by Dahas, a program run by the Third World Studies Center of the University of the Philippines, found that at least 90 people had been killed in what the center termed ‘drug-related violence’ in the period since Marcos’ inauguration and September 30.

World Report 2023: Philippines, Human Rights Watch

The police reported that 46 people were killed during anti-drug operations since Marcos took office on June 30. But this is far below the estimate of the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center, whose Dahas program monitors ‘drug war’ violence. The program tallied that 127 people were killed in ‘drug war’ incidents from July 1, the day after Marcos was sworn in, to November 7.

Philippines Undercounts Recent ‘Drug War Deaths’, Human Rights Watch

29 October 2024

Duterte ikulong! Justice for Victims of Duterte’s War on Drugs!
Malaya Movement

While we should welcome this step towards accountability for a mass murderer, we also should not be under any illusions that this hearing is not primarily Marcos Jr.’s attempt to bury his rival. If Marcos Jr. genuinely cares for the people devastated by this murder spree, he would have put an end to it. If he were genuine he would return to the International Criminal Court and exhaust all efforts to hold Duterte and his cronies accountable. But the war on drugs continues under the regime, with the Dahas Project reporting at least 820 confirmed killings since 2022.  Read full report 

29 October 2024

Police use Marcos-time policy to keep CHR in the dark in drug war probe
Jairo Bolledo, Rappler

Data from the Dahas Project of the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center revealed that drug war killings continue under Marcos. The project reported that there have been at least 822 killings since Marcos took office in 2022 up to October 28. On top of these, out of thousands killed in the drug war, there have only been four convictions so far. Read full report 

29 October 2024

Mega drug rehab center at the crossroads
Jelo Ritzhie Mantaring, NewsWatch Plus

For the University of the Philippines’ Dahas Project, however, the administration is still on a path of drug-related killings. Read full report 

17 October 2024

PNP-DEG accounts for majority of drugs seized by police force
Alfred P. Dalizon, Journal News

Official PNP records showed that from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2024, police conducted a total of 96,978 anti-drug operations which led to the arrest of 121,655 suspected drug personalities.

A total of 193 also died during police operations which is very far from the 702 recorded during the same period by the UP Third World Studies Center. Read full report 

14 October 2024

Palace: PH not sending quad comm findings to ICC 
Michael Delizo & Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN News

The UP Diliman-based Dahas Project, which maintains a database of drug-related killings, has tallied 815 deaths during the Marcos Jr. administration, with 14 deaths recorded in the first week of OctoberRead full report 

9 October 2024

Duterte legacy in the balance as he seeks return to Davao stronghold
Nick Aspinwall, Aljazeera

Sixty-three people were killed in the central region of Cebu during anti-drug operations in 2024, according to the Dahas Project, an initiative of the University of the Philippines that tracks extrajudicial drug killings. 

Davao police killed a suspected drug dealer in a shootout on September 17, the first drug killing in the city since March, according to the Dahas Project. Read full report 

29 September 2024

Human Rights in the Philippines Under Marcos Jr.
Aktionsbündnis Menschenrechte-Philippinen (AMP – Action Network Human Rights – Philippines)

To this day, the Philippine government denies ongoing brutal police violence and impunity in the country. Since Marcos Jr. took office, the University of the Philippines research project Dahas has documented 700 drugrelated killings (as of June 30, 2024). Official government statistics are still pending. Read full report 

24 September 2024

After Duterte, fight vs drugs keeps anti-poor face
Kurt Dela Peña, Inquirer

As Dahas stated, since the start of the presidency of Marcos, “low-level peddlers still make up the bulk of those killed in the drug war,” saying that out of the 702 killed from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2024, only 86 were high-value individuals, or HVIs. Read full report 

21 September 2024

Patuloy na martial law ngayon
Marc Lino J. Abila, Pinoy Weekly

Ayon sa Dahas Project, mas mataas ang mga naiulat na kaso ng pamamaslang kaugnay ng ilegal na droga sa ikalawang taon ni Marcos Jr. sa poder.

“Sa aming ulat na sakop ang Hul. 1, 2023 hanggang Hun. 30 2024, nakapagtala kami ng 359 na pagpaslang kaugnay ng droga, kumpara sa 342 ng nakaraang taon. Responsable ang mga ahente ng estado sa 34.3% ng mga pagpatay sa ikalawang taon ng giyera kontra droga ni Marcos Jr.,” ayon sa ulat ng proyekto sa Ingles. Read full report 

30 August 2024

In the Philippines, the drug war persists under muffled guns and silenced screams
Marc Nathaniel Servo & Maui Jamil Balmaceda, Human Asia

Marcos’ first month of presidency was marked with 41 deaths, according to DAHAS PH, with at least 11 killed by state agents. Read full report 

29 August 2024

Media counter Marcos’s bloodless drug war claim
Big News Network

ANC reported specific numbers when it interviewed Joel Ariate, a researcher of the Dahas Project, who refuted Marcos’s description of the government’s anti-drug campaign as “plain and simple propaganda.” Ariate explained that since Marcos took office in 2022, Dahas Project has documented over 700 drug-related killings. Read full report 

23 August 2024

Philippine Drug Policy and Law Summit: Is Harm Reduction Genuine Reform or Co-optation?
RJ Naguit, Talking Drugs

Dahas, an organisation monitoring drug-related killings, reports that 736 people have been killed since Marcos’ inauguration up until July 2024. While less fatal than Duterte’s regime (for now), Marcos’ drug war does not seem likely to slow down: more killings were documented in Marcos’ second year in government than his first. While rhetorically the drug war may seem to have changed, on the ground it remains just as deadly.  Read full report 

17 August 2024

Drug war killings persist seven years after Kian Delos Santos murder
Roy Barbosa, Manila Today

UP Third World Studies Center’s Dahas Project reported 748 drug-war related deaths since Marcos Jr. sat in power. The report added that state agents, which include the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police and paramilitaries, were responsible for the 34.3% of the killings during the second year of Marcos Jr.’s drug war. Read full report 

15 August 2024

Marcos ‘ended’ Davao City drug war killings. Why can’t he do it for the rest of PH?
Jodesz Gavilan, Rappler

Dahas Project team member Joel Ariate Jr. told Rappler that “almost 90 to 95%” of documented killings carried out by state agents had the same narrative: the long-running and often debunked claim that the victims fought back (nanlaban). 

Meanwhile, there were 107 killings carried out by non-state agents. At least 240 were done by unidentified individuals or those “​​who were seen by witnesses or authorities, but failed to be identified due to the lack of information, covering of face/ other identifiable features, and distance from the witnesses.” Read full report 

8 August 2024

Marcos touts ‘humane’ police
Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, BusinessWorld

There were 700 drug war-related killings in his first two years in office, according to the University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center. The center this week said 38 suspects were killed in the drug war in July. Cebu in central Philippines have had the most killings this year, including 20 killed by unknown gunmen and seven others by state agents. Read full report 

31 July 2024

‘Rights situation has not improved under Marcos Jr.’
Daniela Mauricio & Jade Aberin, Bulatlat

The University of the Philippines’ Dahas project, however, reported 342 casualties or 0.9 deaths per day, from July 1, 2022, and June 20, 2023. This is higher compared to the daily average of 0.8 deaths during the Duterte administration. Read full report 

31 July 2024

Nothing bloodless about Marcos Jr’s drug war
Chris Fitzgerald, Asia Times

Dahas also reports that while killings by state agents have decreased by 23%, killings from vigilante groups or unidentified persons have increased. This suggests the administration has lost control of the drug war, with it increasingly being waged by criminal groups. Read full report 

30 July 2024

Kakulangan sa detalye ng pagtatanggol sa WPS at pagpapanagot sa EJK perpetrators, laman ng Counter-SONA ng isang opposition lawmaker
Brigada News

Dagdag pa ng mambabatas, dapat paimbestigahan ni Pangulong Marcos ang 727 kaso ng pagpatay na may kinalaman sa kampanya laban sa droga ng kasalukuyang administrasyon kung saan base sa “Dahas Project” ng UP Third World Studies Center, 41.27 percent ng mga pagpatay ay kagagawan ng mga pulis. Read full report 

30 July 2024

Media counter Marcos’s bloodless drug war claim
Big News Network

ANC reported specific numbers when it interviewed Joel Ariate, a researcher of the Dahas Project, who refuted Marcos’s description of the government’s anti-drug campaign as “plain and simple propaganda.” Ariate explained that since Marcos took office in 2022, Dahas Project has documented over 700 drug-related killings. Read full report 

29 July 2024

In House hearing, PNP chief struggles comparing drug wars of Duterte, Marcos
Dwight De Leon, Rappler

An independent watchdog said there were still 701 drug-related killings during the first two years of the Marcos administration, down from the nearly 20,000 during the same period of the Duterte administration. Read full report 

28 July 2024

Marcos claims on drug war belied
Chloe Mari A. Hufana, BusinessWorld

The University of the Philippines-Diliman Project Dahas said it had counted more than 700 drug-related deaths under Mr. Marcos’ term. Read full report 

25 July 2024

Duterte acknowledges Marcos ‘bloodless’ drug war
Ivy Tejano, Manila Bulletin

Reports, however, pointed out that Marcos’ campaign against illegal drugs is far from what he described in his SONA on July 22. The Dahas Project of the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center revealed 701 drug-related killings in the two years of the administration. Read full report 

24 July 2024

Marcos report on ‘bloodless’ antidrug drive disputed
Jane Bautista, Inquirer

The Dahas report, which was written by research associates Larah Vinda del Mundo and Vincent Halog, said unidentified assailants—often masked gunmen on motorbikes and whose attacks were seen by eyewitnesses—accounted for 135 or 37.6 percent of the 359 deaths since July 2023. Read full report 

22 July 2024

‘Wag Mo Kaming Bobolahin
Nats Taboy, Remate

Ayon sa Dahas project ng UP Third World Studies Center, umabot sa mahigit 700 ang pinaslang sa giyera kontra-droga ni Marcos Jr. Read full report 

22 July 2024

FACT-CHECK: Marcos Jr.’s drug war not ‘bloodless’
Amanda Luella A. Rivera, The Varsitarian

Contrary to Marcos Jr.’s claim, the University of the Philippines’ Dahas Project reported 474 drug-related killings under his administration as of Nov. 23, 2023. Read full report 

22 July 2024

‘Bloodless’ drug war, record-high palay harvest, other pronouncements in Marcos’ third SONA
Ayie Licsi & John Patrick Magno Ranara, PhilStar Life

However, Marcos’ fight against illegal drugs is not without casualties. Dahas Project, an initiative by the University of the Philippines, recorded 701 reported drug-related killings from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2024. State agents were reportedly responsible for 34.3% of killings during the president’s second year.  Read full report 

22 July 2024

‘Bloodless’ drug war to continue — Marcos
Ian Laqui, PhilStar

However, human rights watchdog Dahas Project from the University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center reported drug-related killings under Marcos’s administration.  Read full report 

22 July 2024

Marcos’ drug war not as ‘bloodless’ as he claims in SONA 2024
Jodesz Gavilan, Rappler

There are at least 701 drug-related killings during the first two years of the Marcos administration with at least 283 committed by state agents, according to the Dahas Project. Read full report 

22 July 2024

Marcos’ third SONA: What he said and did not say
Marilyn Cahatol, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism

Citing data from Dahas, a University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center program monitoring drug war killings, Conde said that more than 700 had been killed on Marcos’ watch, and that these “worsened in the past year compared to the year before.” Read full report 

22 July 2024

As Philippines’s Marcos addresses nation, economy, Duterte rift loom large
Michael Beltran, Al Jazeera

The Dahas Project at the University of the Philippines, which monitors the drug war, has recorded 712 drug-related killings by state agents and hitmen under Marcos Jr, despite the president’s pledge to turn his predecessor’s deadly campaign against drug dealers “bloodless”. Read full report 

3 June 2024

Imbestigasyon
Paolo Duterte, Abante

Binanggit ng AI ang datos mula sa Dahas Project ng UP Third World Studies Center kung saan na-monitor ang may 342 drug-related killings mula July 1, 2022 hanggang June 30, 2023. Kabilang dito ang 115 kataong pinatay sa mga anti-illegal drug operations ng kapulisan at 165 pang napatay din sa huling anim na buwan ng 2023. May naitala ring 29 na pagkamatay na konektado sa illegal drugs sa unang dalawang buwan ng taong ito. Read full report 

23 May 2024

Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte seeks probe on extrajudicial killings
Antonio L. Colina IV, MindaNews

It also said the “Dahas” project of the UP (University of the Philippines) Third World Studies Center monitored 342 drug-related killings from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023, during Marcos Jr.’s first year in office, or a total of 536 from the start of his term until the end of February 2024. Read full report 

12 May 2024

Marcos forms panel to fine-tune probe of human rights violations
Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, BusinessWorld

There were 11 reported drug-related killings in the country from May 1 to 7, one of which had no known drug ties, bringing the total cases since Mr. Marcos assumed office in 2022 to 652, according to the Dahas project from the University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center. Read full report 

8 May 2024

Pena di Morte per Droga: 467 Esecuzioni nel 2023
Leonardo Fiorentini, l’Unita

Così tante da richiamare l’attenzione della Corte Penale Internazionale e da spingere Duterte a uscire dal trattato istitutivo per provare a evitarne il giudizio. Anche dopo l’arrivo alla Presidenza di Ferdinand Marcos Jr. la guerra pare continuare, pur con numeri minori: sono 621 le vittime stimate dall’ascesa al potere del figlio dell’ex dittatore Marcos ad oggi, secondo il Dahas Project dell’Università delle Filippine. Read full report 

8 May 2024

Drug Killings Go On; Journalists Must Keep Probing 
Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism 

As of April 30, Dahas has recorded 639 killings on Marcos’ watch. It is a project of the Third World Studies Center of the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy at the University of the Philippines Diliman that keeps track of the drug war killings. Read full report 

April 2024

The State of the World’s Human Rights
Amnesty International

Extrajudicial executions in the context of the “war on drugs” that started in 2016 continued into the second year of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration, despite his public pronouncements that the campaign against illicit drugs would focus on treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration. According to media monitoring by the university-based research group Dahas, at least 329 people were killed in 2023 by state agents during police-led anti-drug operations or by unknown individuals. Read full report

25 April 2024

DFA: State Dep’t Assessment of Rights Situation Misleading
Ashzel Hachero, Malaya Business Insight

The State Department report cited data from non-government organization Dahas PH which said that there were 209 killings related to the government’s anti-drug campaign from January to August 2023. It also used data from the Commission on Human Rights, an independent government office constitutionally responsible for investigating possible human rights violations, which said that it investigated 51 new complaints of alleged extrajudicial or politically motivated killings as of July last year. The cases involved 82 victims and were allegedly perpetrated by six PNP personnel, two members of the military, seven insurgents, four civilians, and 33 unidentified persons. Read full report

25 April 2024

DOJ Chief: EJK, Shortcuts End 
Alvin Murcia, Daily Tribune

This was contained in a 58-page Country Report on Human Rights Practices wherein the State Department said the human rights situation in the Philippines showed “no significant changes.” The report said though that the number of incidents of arbitrary and extrajudicial killings and “some other abuses by government agents” decreased in 2023. It attributed the EJKs to the “arbitrary or unlawful killings by police in connection with antidrug operations” as the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. continued the war on drugs started by his predecessor, former President Rodrigo Duterte. Citing data from the non-governmental organization Dahas PH, the State Department said there were 209 killings related to anti-drug operations from January to August 2023. Report full report

24 April 2024

Marcos Urged to Make ‘Explicit’ Order Stopping Bloody Drug War 
Jodesz Gavilan, Rappler  

There have been at least 612 drug-related killings across the Philippines between July 1, 2022 and April 15, 2024, according to monitoring conducted by the Dahas Project of the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center. Out of this number, 264 were killed by state agents, or members of the police force. In its report, Amnesty highlighted the continued killings in the Philippines and the culture of impunity “remained entrenched” as evident in the lack of justice for drug war victims. Read full report

24 April 2024

Remulla: DOJ Taking Steps to Hold Erring Law Enforcers in EJKs Accountable
Joahnah Lei Casilao

At a press conference in Quezon City, Amnesty International Philippines director Butch Olano said Marcos should “make an explicit and categorical policy pronouncement to end the so-called war on drugs and EJKs.” Citing data from UP’s Dahas Project, which documents drug-related killings, Olano said there were 329 individuals killed in 2023. He also said UP’s Third World Studies Center found that 342 individuals were killed from June 2022 to June 2023. Due to this, he said there were at least 600 people killed during the first 19 months of the Marcos administration. Read full report

 

24 April 2024

EJKs in PH Persisted in 2023, Says Amnesty International
Joahna Lei Casilao, GMA Integrated News 

In a press conference in Quezon City, Amnesty International Philippines director Butch Olano said Marcos should “make an explicit and categorical policy pronouncement to end the so-called war on drugs and EJKs. Citing data from UP’s Dahas Project, which documents drug-related killings, Olano said there were 329 individuals killed in 2023. He also said UP’s Third World Studies Center found that 342 individuals were killed from June 2022 to June 2023. Due to this, he said there were at least 600 people killed during the first 19 months of the Marcos administration. Read full report

17 April 2024

EJKs Remain A Serious Problem in PH — US Gov’t Report
Joahna Lei Casilao, GMA Integrated News 

The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices are submitted annually by the US Department of State to the US Congress.
Despite this, the State Dept. said the number of EJKs in the country decreased in 2023.”There were no significant changes in the human rights situation in the Philippines during the year, although the number of incidents of arbitrary and extrajudicial killings and of some other abuses by government agents decreased,” the report stated. 
Citing data from a non-governmental organization, the department stated that there were 209 killings related to anti-drug operations from January to August 2023. It said the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) also investigated 51 new complaints of alleged EJKs or politically motivated killings. Read full report

 

17 April 2024

Philippines’ Marcos Takes Swipe at Duterte Over Record Drug Bust
Benar News, Eurasia Review News & Analysis

Marcos has said that the drug war will continue, even as the approach will be different and focus more on rehabilitating suspects. Still, officer-involved killings have continued under his watch. Data from the Dahas Project of the University of the Philippines that tracks down drug-related killings show that 611 suspects have been slain since Marcos assumed the presidency in 2022 until April 7 of this year. Read full report

16 April 2024

Drug Bust in Philippines Leads to Seizure of 1.8 Tonnes of Methamphetamine 

Nelson Walters, Barron’s

Since taking office in June 2022, Marcos has overseen more than 600 drug-related killings, according to data from the Dahas research project. While the numbers remain high, human rights advocates have pointed to the recent drug bust as evidence that drug enforcement can be carried out without resorting to violence if authorities follow due process. Carlos Conde, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, called on the Marcos administration to declare an end to the violent drug war and to retract Duterte’s orders for a harsh crackdown. Conde emphasized the need for Marcos to align his drug policy with his rhetoric on reform and to prioritize non-violent approaches to addressing drug issues in the Philippines. Read full report  

16 April 2024

Philippines Seizes 1.8 Tonnes of Meth in Drug Bust 

Agence France Press, Barron’s

The drug war has continued under Marcos even though he has pushed for more emphasis on prevention and rehabilitation. More than 600 people have been killed in drug-related killings since he took power in June 2022, according to figures compiled by Dahas, a University of the Philippines-backed research project that keeps a count of such killings. Read full report 

 

7 April 2024

Philippines: New ‘Drug War’ Declared in Davao City

 Human Rights Watch

These recent killings in Davao City are merely a spike in a “drug war” that has never stopped, Human Rights Watch said. The University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center has reported that since Duterte became mayor in June 2022, Davao del Sur, the city’s greater provincial area, has had more drug-related killings than any other area in the country, including Metro Manila.  Read full report

 

25 March 2024

Abuse of Power: Under Marcos, War on Drugs Drags on in Manila

DW Bureau, DT Next 

Dahas recorded 342 drug casualties from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023, at an average rate of 0.9 deaths per day, a tad higher than the 0.8 daily average during Duterte’s last year in office. The project logged 165 more deaths during the last six months of 2023, and 29 each in January and February this year. Duterte’s years-long anti-drug campaign left thousands of people dead, as a result of either police operations or vigilante killings. Read full report 

24 March 2024

Violencia Policial y Asisenatos en Masa: Cómo Continúa la Lucha Contra el Narcotráfico en Filipinas

PorCanal26

El proyecto Dahas de la Universidad de Filipinas registró 342 víctimas del narcotráfico entre el 1 de julio de 2022 y el 30 de junio de 2023, a un ritmo de aproximadamente 0,9 muertes por día en promedio, un poco más que la media diaria de 0,8 durante el último año de mandato de Duterte. En los últimos seis meses del año pasado, en la investigación reportaron 165 muertes, y 29 en los primeros dos meses de 2024. Read full report 

 

24 March 2024

Philippinen: Drogenkrieg Geht Unvermindert Weiter

Nikka Valenzuela, Deutsche Welle

“Aber Statistiken über die Tötungen im Zusammenhang mit Drogen zeichnen ein anderes Bild. Daten des Dahas-Projekts, einer Initiative der Universität der Philippinen, zeigen, dass sich die Gewalt auf dem gleichen Niveau fortsetzt wie während der Präsidentschaft unter Duterte. Dahas verzeichnete vom 1. Juli 2022 bis zum 30. Juni 2023 die Zahl von 342 Tötungen, was durchschnittlich 0,9 Todesfällen pro Tag entspricht und damit sogar etwas mehr als der Tagesdurchschnitt von 0,8 im letzten Amtsjahr des umstrittenen Präsident Duterte.” Read full report

 

22 March 2024

Guerra Antidrogas das Filipinas Continua Letal Sob Marcos

DW, UOL

“During a recent visit to Germany, he told Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz that, during his term, the anti-drug campaign had ‘completely changed’ to prevention and rehabilitation. However, the numbers of homicides related to this ‘war’ form a very different picture: according to data from the Dahas project, an initiative of the University of the Philippines, drug-related violence remains at the same level as in the previous administration.” Read full report

21 March 2024

Philippines Drug War: What Changed Under President Marcos?

Deutsche Welle, Taiwan News 

“In a recent visit to Germany, the Philippine president told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that the drug campaign has ‘completely changed’ to prevention and rehabilitation during his tenure. But the numbers on the continuing drug-related killings paint a different picture. Data from the Dahas project, an initiative of the University of the Philippines, show that the drug violence continues at the same level as it was under President Duterte. Dahas recorded 342 drug casualties from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023, at an average rate of 0.9 deaths per day, a tad higher than the 0.8 daily average during Duterte’s last year in office.” Read full report

15 March 2024

[Watch] Dahas Project, the Team that Continues to Count Drug War Victims
Jairo Bolledo, Rappler

Even when he stepped down from power in 2022, the killings continue to persist. To sustain a record of these killings, the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center continued its Dahas Project. Under this project, a small team scours various sources and records drug-related killings.

14 March 2024

Marcos to Germany: ICC Has No Power to Probe Duterte for Drug Deaths

Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Business World Online 

The University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center’s Dahas project had said there were 342 drug-related killings a year into Mr. Marcos’ term, including 115 deaths during police drug raids.” Read full report

14 March 2024

Drug War| Rights Group Refutes Marcos’ Remarks on ‘Changed’ Drug War Policy

Clarist Zaplan, News5

“The killings have continued under the Marcos Jr. administration, with 342 drug-related killings reported during the first year of his term, according to the Dahas project of the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center (UP TWSC).” Read full report 

 

5 March 2024

‘Left Behind’ Families Look to ICC for Philippines Drug War Justice

Nick Aspinwall, Al Jazeera

“Philippine National Police chief Benjamin Acorda Jr admitted in February that people were still killed in police drug operations after Dahas project data showed there had been 28 drug-related killings in January. . . He insisted the killings were not intentional.” Read full report. 

12 February 2024

PNP: PH Crime Rate Drops 27.6% from Jan. 1 to Feb. 10

Christopher Lloyd Caliwan, PNA

“Acorda further reiterated that extrajudicial killings are not part of PNP’s operational doctrine . . . ‘We don’t condone extrajudicial killings and these allegations of Dahas, we welcome them. If they have some facts or circumstances and witnesses that will say otherwise to what was reported to our units on the ground, we welcome them because again as I have said, we want our operations to be aggressive but we want it done honestly and we respect what we call rights of every individual na hinuhuli (who is arrested),’ he said.Read full report.

12 February 2024

PNP Chief Brushes Off Claims of Extrajudicial Killings Under Marcos Admin

Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo

“Acorda made the statement following the release of data under University of the Philippines Diliman’s ‘Project Dahas,’ which showed that 28 individuals were killed in anti-illegal drug operations in January 2024 . . . It said 14 of which were killed by unidentified assailants while nine were killed by policemen . . . Acorda admitted that there were drug-related killings during police anti-illegal drug operations.” Read full report

9 February 2024

A Brutal Death and Marcos’s Broken Promise of a ‘Bloodless’ Drug Policy

Sean Marcus Ingalla, Philippine Collegian

“In the same month, Congress hailed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s ‘bloodless’ drug war campaign. This claim did not align with the numbers: drug-related killings under Marcos’s first year in office surpassed the death toll of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s last year as a president, according to monitoring project Dahas by the UP Third World Studies Center. Bloodshed, as in the case of Chrismel, is still enabled by conditions of continued impunity under Marcos’s drug campaign.” Read full report 

25 January 2024

The Hitman, the Bodies, the Prisoners

Cordelia Lynch, Sky News

The killings haven’t stopped though. The Dahas Project out of the University of the Philippines recorded more drug-related killings in the first year of Marcos Jr’s presidency than the final one of Duterte. It does appear the violence has now pushed into the provinces outside of Manila and further south in Davao City. Read full report 

4 January 2024

Philippines: Bone Diggers Seek Justice for Dead in Duterte’s Drug War

Linda Pressly, BBC News, Manila

But the Dahas Project at the University of the Philippines recorded 342 drug-related killings in Mr Marcos’ first year – 40 more than in the last year of Mr Duterte’s rule. And they say around 40% of those killed were small-time users and dealers.Read full report. 

31 December 2023

Philippines Drug War Victims Look to ICC for Justice as Killings Continue Under Marcos Jr

Steve Zhang, ABC News AU

“The assumption would be that because there’s no belligerent rhetoric from Ferdinand Marcos Jr, this will be a less violent presidency. But the numbers do not sustain that particular view,” said Joel Ariate who runs Dahas, a project tracking drug-related killings established by the University of the Philippines Diliman and Ghent University.Read full report.

7 December 2023

Dangeorus Drugs Act | Philippines Eyes Review of Anti-Drug Law – Justice Official 

Clarist Zablan, News5

“At least 6,000 suspected drug offenders were killed in anti-drug operations during the Duterte administration, based on police data. But human rights groups peg the death toll from his drug war policy at as high as 30,000, including vigilante killings. But human rights groups have noted that the killings have continued well into the Marcos Jr. administration. Dahas, a project of the University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center (UP TWSC), tallied at least 342 drug-related killings during Marcos’ first year as president.” Read full report 

17 November 2023

As Philippines’ Drug War Rolls On, Christians Continue Their Work

Beng Alba-Jones, Christianity Today

“Since taking office, Marcos has established more than 100 community-based drug rehab centers that provide drug users with temporary shelter and reintegrate them into society. Today there are nearly 500 of these centers, called Balay Silangan Reformation Centers, in the Philippines. However, during the first year of Marcos’s presidency, the number of drug-related killings actually increased from the last year of Duterte’s term, according to a recent report by the Dahas Project at the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center. They counted 342 killings from Marcos’s inauguration in July 2022 until June 2023, 40 more than the previous year. Of that number, state agents killed a total of 146 people.” Read full report 

1 November 2023

61 Killed Under Marcos Admin As ‘War Against Illegal Drugs’ Continues in Philippines

Riyaz ul Khaliq, Anadolu Ajansi

“Data from Dahas, a monitoring project run by the University of the Philippines, however, revealed: ‘There were 175 drug-related killings in the country during Marcos’ first few months as President, or between 12 noon of June 30 and December 31, 2022.'” Read full report

1 November 2023

Rodrigo Duterte’s Legacy

Margaret Simons, Inside Story

“It’s true that the number of killings is lower than the peak in 2016–17. But the best available figures, compiled by the Dahas project of the Third World Studies Center at the University of the Philippines, show that deaths, far from easing under Marcos, are more common than in the last years of the Duterte administration. (Dahas acknowledges that its figures are underestimates; they are drawn entirely from the media, which doesn’t report many fatalities.) Read full report

14 October 2023

Navotas Killing Zone: 3rd Young Man Killed in 2 Months in Same Area 

Jairo Bolledo, Rappler

As of October 7, there had been 432 drug-related killings both by law enforcers and unidentified suspects under the term of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., according to data from Dahas, a research initiative by the University of the Philippines (UP) Third World Studies Center.Read full report. 

14 October 2023

Unearthing the Truth

Jaileen F. Jimeno, Asia Democracy Chronicles

“According to the 2023 Human Rights Watch (HRW) Report, “the unlawful use of force by the police and government agents (has) continued” under the Marcos Jr. government. The report cited data from Dahas, a research program run by the Third World Studies Center of the University of the Philippines.

Dahas reports that as of June 30, 2023, a year into Marcos Jr.’s term, a total of 342 have been killed by state actors in connection with illegal drugs. This is higher than the 302 reported in the last year of the Duterte administration.” Read full report. 

11 October 2023

Oral Statement Given During the General Debate on the 
Ahmed Adam on behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)

“The highly militarised drug war, despite the objective to implement a rights based-approach, continues to claim lives. Independent monitoring group Dahas documented over 250 drug related killings this year alone. At least 45 per cent of these were committed by state agents. There has been no tangible progress towards accountability for the widespread killings.” Read full report 

9 October 2023

Filipinos use 20,000 kilos of illegal drugs each year

Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, Business World

“Police killed at least 342 suspects in drug raids in the first year of the Marcos government, according to the Dahas project under the University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center.” Read full report.

26 September 2023

The Courtroom in Caloocan

Bryan Lau, The Dial 

“On July 18, the ICC announced that the Philippine government had lost the appeal. The justice secretary, Crispin Remulla, under President Marcos, who had replaced Duterte in June 2022, denounced the ICC for foreign interference. The drug war continues: 342 people died in drug-related killings during the first year under Marcos, according to the Dahas database maintained by the Third World Studies Center at the University of the Philippines. The president seems unlikely to repudiate the drug war, as long as he remains allied with his predecessor, whose daughter, Sara Z. Duterte, is the current vice president.” Read full report 

6 September 2023

Philippines Records Highest Weekly Deaths in ‘War on Drugs’: Monitoring Program 

Necva Tastan, Anadolu Ajansi

The Philippines, during the first week of this month, has recorded the highest number of weekly deaths of the year in the so-called ‘war on drugs,’ a monitoring program has claimed . . . Among the 14 fatalities, ’11 were caused by state agents’ in the northeastern Davao City of the Philippines, the monitoring project Dahas run by the University of the Philippines showed.” Read full report. 

3 September 2023

Philippines: ‘The Government is Headed by a Former Dictator’s Son Who Reached Power in a Suspicious Manner’ 

CIVICUS

“However, while the focus on the drug problem remains, there has been a discursive shift from Duterte’s punitive and violent approach to an anti-drug campaign emphasising prevention and rehabilitation. But this hasn’t translated into an end to extrajudicial killings, which continue unabated in impoverished urban areas that are known to be havens for drug-related activities. Dahas, a research group from the University of the Philippines, reported 342 instances of drug-related killings carried out by state and non-state groups and people during the first year of the new government. The targets of the anti-drug campaign continue to be minor drug users and low-level peddlers. As happened under the previous administration, prominent drug lords remain untouched.” Read full report 

8 August 2023

‘We can’t be bribed:’ Families of drug war victims reveal offers to drop cases amid ICC probe

Aie Balagtas See,PCIJ

“As of May 31, 309 have been killed in connection with illegal drugs, according to the Dahas Project of the UP Third World Studies Center, which is keeping tabs on the drug war on Marcos’ watch.” Read full report

24 July 2023

Philippines’ Marcos Says Drug War Has ‘A New Face’

Bangkok Post 

“The deadly crackdown has continued under Marcos, the son and namesake of the country’s former dictator, even as he pushed for a greater emphasis on prevention and treatment. More than 350 drug-related killings have been recorded since Marcos took office in June 2022, according to figures compiled by Dahas, a University of the Philippines-backed research project that keeps a count of such killings.” Read full report

21 July 2023

Philippines Will Not Cooperate with ICC in Drug War Probe: Marcos

AFP, The Straits Times  

“More than 350 drug-related killings have been recorded since Mr Marcos took office last June, according to figures compiled by Dahas, a University of the Philippines-backed research project that keeps count of such killings.” Read full report

21 July 2023

Marcos Says Philippines is ‘Done Talking’ with ICC 

Agence France Press

“More than 350 drug-related killings have been recorded since Marcos took office last June, according to figures compiled by Dahas, a University of the Philippines-backed research project that keeps count of such killings.” Report full report 

16 July 2023

Duterte out, Marcos in: What has happened to the country’s campaign against illegal drugs?

Mariel Celine Serquiña, CNN Philippines

In a June report, the University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center logged at least 300 drug-related killings since Marcos became the president.” Read full report

10 July 2023

Hundreds killed in drug war during Marcos’ 1st year

Jodesz Gavilan, Rappler

Violence continues well into the new administration as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. closes his first year in office with more than 300 deaths allegedly related to the continuing war on drugs. At least 342 drug-related killings were recorded from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023, according to the Dahas Project of the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center.” Read full report

30 June 2023

A year into presidency, Marcos quietly keeps Duterte’s drug war going — rights groups

Cristina Chi, Philstar

“At least 336 drug-related killings have taken place since Marcos became president, most during law enforcement’s anti-drug operations, according to the UP Third World Studies Center, which maintains a running count of drug-related killings based on media reports.” Read full report

29 June 2023

A year of Marcos Jr: how a dictator’s son has changed the Philippines

Rebecca Ratcliffe, The Guardian

“Marcos has avoided overtly condemning the human rights record of the previous administration, though he has said the so-called war on drugs should be more focused on prevention, and that told police to go after bigger players – not ‘the kid who makes 100 pesos ($2) a week selling weed’.

However, the killings, say researchers, are continuing under his government: more than 300 drug-related killings have been recorded since he took office.” Read full report

28 June 2023

Philippines Drugs Crackdown Continues as Marcos Jr. Marks First Anniversary

Chris Fitzgerald, Globe: Lines of Thought Across Southeast Asia 

“But despite Marcos Jr.’s highly-publicised promises, 2023 has been no different. The Dahas reporting project tracked 148 drug-related killings between January and 7 June. Last month was the deadliest so far, with 37 killings. Overall, 323 people have died in drug-related circumstances since Marcos Jr. took power . This shows the war on drugs continues unabated, costing more lives.” Read full report

 27 June 2023

MORE HUMANE | Hontiveros backs UN experts on call to end violent global war on drugs

Beatrice Puente, News5

“Dahas, an initiative of the Third World Studies Center of the University of the Philippines, has counted 336 drug-related killings under Marcos so far. Duterte’s brutal war on drugs led to the death of around 30,000 people, including those killed by vigilantes.” Read full report

15 June 2023

Rappler Shows How ‘Drug War’ Violence Continues Under Marcos

CMFR Staff, Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility 

“The second part of the report produced a timeline following the statements made by Marcos and other government officials on illegal drugs. Gavilan also examined the data depicting the continuing ‘drug war’ under Marcos, showing up the different numbers published by government agencies and by Dahas, a project of the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center. ” Read full report  

 11 June 2023

A mother thinks the worst is over after Duterte. Then her son is killed under Marcos.

Jodesz Gavilan, Rappler

“By the end of August 2022, the month Rolly was killed, there were already at least 74 victims of drug-related killings, including those killed by state agents and unidentified individuals, according to monitoring by Dahas, a project of the University of the Philippines Diliman’s Third World Studies Center. ” Read full report

8 June 2023

What’s the State of Philippine Human Rights Under Marcos?

Cecil Morella, The Japan Times 

“More than 300 drug-related killings have been recorded since Marcos took office last June, according to figures compiled by Dahas, a University of the Philippines-backed research project that keeps count of drug-related killings. That includes 175 in the first six months of Marcos’s presidency. In November, police acknowledged that 46 drug suspects had been killed since he took office.” Read full report 

7 June 2023

What’s the State of Philippine Human Rights Under Marcos?

Cecil Morella, Barron’s

“More than 300 drug-related killings have been recorded since Marcos took office last June, according to figures compiled by Dahas, a University of the Philippines-backed research project that keeps count of drug-related killings. That includes 175 in the first six months of Marcos’s presidency. In November, police acknowledged that 46 drug suspects had been killed since he took office.” Read full report

7 June 2023

What’s the State of Philippine Human Rights Under Marcos? 

AFP, France 24

“Marcos has continued the crackdown but has pushed for more focus on prevention and rehabilitation. He told police to go after major drug dealers and not ‘the kid who makes 100 pesos ($2) a week selling weed.’ Yet the bodies keep piling up. More than 300 drug-related killings have been recorded since Marcos took office last June, according to figures compiled by Dahas, a University of the Philippines-backed research project that keeps count of drug-related killings.” Read full report 

 23 May 2023

‘War on drugs’ victims’ kin ‘unanimously’ support ICC investigation

Kaycee Valmonte with Kristine Joy Patag, Philstar

The UP Third World Studies Center’s latest report showed there have been 294 total reported drug-related killings under Marcos Jr., with 11 recorded just last May 8 to 15. ” Read full report

 23 May 2023

Victims, kin ‘strongly urge’ ICC to allow resumption of drug war probe

Jodesz Gavilan, Rappler

“Dahas, a project of the University of the Philippines-Diliman Third World Studies Center, monitored at least 294 reported drug-related killings under the Marcos administration, as of May 17, 2023. At least 106 were killed during legitimate government operations between June 30, 2022, to May 7, 2023.” Read full report

 14 May 2023

Not losing hope: Mother of drug war victim finds courage in helping other grieving families

Jodesz Gavilan, Rappler

For most part, Marcos seems to be deviating from Duterte’s approach, wanting to focus more on prevention. He even said during his US trip that Duterte’s war on drugs resulted in ‘abuses by certain elements in the government.’

But killings still continue. Dahas, a project of the University of the Philippines-Diliman Third World Studies Center, monitored at least 281 reported drug-related killings under the Marcos administration, as of May 7, 2023. Out of this number, 106 were killed during legitimate government operations.” Read full report

 24 April 2023

Marcos to new PNP chief: Be open to scrutiny, exercise maximum tolerance

Jairo Bolledo, Rappler

“Despite Marcos’ ‘slightly different’ war on drugs, the drug-related killings have continued in the country. Dahas, a project of the University of the Philippines Diliman’s Third World Studies Center, has documented at least 263 reported drug-related killings from July 2022 to April 22, 2023.” Read full report

 30 March 2023

Explainer: Can ICC’s Philippines drugs war probe make progress if Manila cuts contact?

Karen Lema and Neil Jerome Morales

“Police data showed 46 people have been killed during anti-drug operations between June 30, 2022, when Marcos took office, to November, way below the estimate of the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center, whose research programme tallied 127 people killed in ‘drug war’ incidents from July 1 to November 7.” Read full report

 27 March 2023

Amnesty International Report 2022/23: The state of the world’s human rights

Amnesty International

“According to the university-based research group Dahas, 324 drug-related killings by the police and other unknown assailants were recorded during 2022, 175 of which took place after July.” Read full report

23 March 2023

NCCP tells UN about continuing rights violations in the PH

National Council of Churches in the Philippines

“Speaking at the general debates of the ongoing 52nd Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva, Switzerland, NCCP program secretary for Faith, Witness and Service Mervin Sol Toquero reported before the international body that there had been 223 drug-related killings since July 2022, the start of the Ferdinand Marcos Jr. administration. ” Read full report

18 March 2023

EU, Marcos face own crossroads in trade perks renewal as PH impunity persists

Jodesz Gavilan, Rappler

Dahas, a project by the University of the Philippines Diliman’s Third World Studies Center, documented at least 223 reported drug-related killings from July 2022 to March 7, 2023 based on news reports. ” Read full report

9 March 2023

On the Philippine Government’s Statements at the UNHRC and the Marcos-Duterte Admin’s Human Rights Coordinating Council

KARAPATAN

“Drug war killings continue, with the University of the Philippine’s Dahas project recording 565 drug-related killings under the current administration. Convictions of police perpetrators during the previous Duterte administration are a drop in the bucket while masterminds such as Duterte and his cohorts remain unscathed—which is why victims’ families have continuously looked to the International Criminal Court for redress.” Read full report 

8 March 2023

Cycle of violence recalls dark Duterte legacy

Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility

“Added to this number is the average of five killed in drug operations per week in the first two months of 2023 based on data provided by Dahas last March 3. Dahas, a project of the Third World Studies Center of the University of the Philippines, has kept a running count of drug war casualties since Duterte launched his “war on drugs.” Read full report

7 March 2023

Marcos’ “War on Drugs” Kills 58 People in 2024

Ang Bayan 

“According to its research, ‘drug-related’ killings have increased again since Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office. Although number were high during the Duterte regime, the pattern of killings show a downtrend since its 2017 peak under the leadership of Ronald ‘Bato’ de la Rosa. In 2022, for example, Dahas PH recorded 175 murders in the first six months of Marcos (July-December), higher by 26 than the 149 murders in the last six months of the Duterte regime (January-June 2022). In the following year, the number of victims increased further, from 324 in 2022 to 331 for 2023.” Read full report 

22 February 2023

Hontiveros to EU MPs: Drug-related killings have not stopped, ICC investigation will not harm domestic efforts

Senate of the Philippines

“According to the UP Third World Studies Center, the 152 drug-related killings under the Marcos, Jr. administration exceeded the 149 recorded killings during the final six months of former President Duterte’s administration. Of the 152 killed since the start of the new admin, 46.7% were committed by state operatives.” Read full report

12 February 2023

International Criminal Court to Pursue Action Against Philippines’ Deadly Drug War

Michelle Bozzi, The Organization for World Peace

“’The war on drugs will continue so long as people are making money from it,’ Joel Ariate Jr., a researcher at the University of the Philippines, told Foreign Policy, expressing cynicism for the ICC’s intervention. ‘What chance is there that this process can lead to justice?'” Read full report

10 February 2023

Rody: Drug war fizzling out

Lade Jean Kabagani, Daily Tribune

On the other hand, Dahas, a monitoring project affiliated with the University of the Philippines Diliman’s Third World Studies Center, claimed there were 175 drug-related killings and not 61 during the said period.” Read full report

8 February 2023

Atrocity Alert No. 334: Nigeria, Philippines and Wagner Group

Global Centre for Responsibility to Protect 

“Although the majority of deaths took place between 2016-2018, the police and armed vigilantes continue to perpetrate extrajudicial killings of those perceived to be involved in illicit drug activity, including since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office in June 2022. The University of the Philippines’ Dahas program, which monitors reported drug-related killings, documented 324 people killed in drug-related incidents during 2022, including 175 in the first six months that President Marcos Jr. was in power.” Read full report 

 

3 February 2023

PNP touts drug war wins, including killings

Dexter Cabalza, Philippine Daily Inquirer

A study by the Third World Studies Center of the University of the Philippines and the Development Studies of Ghent University in Belgium, however, presents a higher death toll. In the study called ‘Dahas,’ which includes a running count of drug-related killings based on media reports, 19 persons were killed from Jan. 1 to Jan. 31, adding to the 324 it tallied last year.” Read full report

1 February 2023

Manila’s countless dead

Margaret Simons, The Monthly

The Dahas figures tell a different story. They include any deaths where drugs were reported be part of the context as well as those carried out by unknown perpetrators. As one of the project’s publication states: ‘The war sprawls over a whole criminal complex beyond state authorities, and includes various criminal elements with varying intent to harm their victims. Failing to account for these casualties … offers a limited view of how the drug war accumulates its fatalities.'” Read full report

28 January 2023

‘Not welcome,’ Manila says as ICC resumes probe into Philippines’ ‘war on drugs’

Riyaz ul Khaliq, Anadolu Agency

“But data from Dahas, a monitoring project run by the University of the Philippines, revealed: ‘There were 175 drug-related killings in the country during Marcos’ first few months as President, or between 12 noon of June 30 and December 31, 2022.'” Read full report

27 January 2023

ICC to resume investigation into Philippines’s deadly drug war

Al Jazeera

“Dahas, which keeps track of reported drug-related killings, said earlier this month that 324 people had died in the drug war in 2022, including 175 in the first six months that Marcos Jr was in power.” Read full report

26 January 2023

Hundreds of Philippine police are filing their resignations. Why?

Mark Saludes, The Christian Science Monitor

“Dahas, a monitoring project by the University of the Philippines Diliman’s Third World Studies Center, counted 175 drug-related killings from July 1 to Dec. 31, 2022 – higher than the death toll during Mr. Duterte’s last six months in office.” Read full report

13 January 2023

Conflicting statistics

Manila Standard

“Dahas says there were 175 drug-related killings during the same period. This brings the total drug-related death toll to 324 in 2022 – a year that covered the last six months of the Duterte administration and the start of the Marcos administration.” Read full report

11 January 2023

The Philippines Is Losing Its ‘War on Drugs’

Margaret Simons, Foreign Policy

“In December 2022, Dahas, a research and advocacy project, reported that there had been 152 drug-related killings in the first five months of Bongbong’s regime. This surpassed the 149 killings in the last six months of Duterte’s reign.” Read full report

10 January 2023

Philippine police say 61 killed under Marcos admin’s campaign against illegal drugs in 2022

The Star

But according to Dahas, a monitoring project run by the University of the Philippines Diliman’s Third World Studies Centre, there were 175 drug-related killings in the country during Marcos’ first few months as President, or between 12 noon of June 30 and Dec 31, 2022.

This, Dahas noted, brings the total drug-related death toll to 324 in 2022 – a year that saw both the tail-end of the Duterte administration and the start of the Marcos administration. Read full report

6 January 2023

The Filipino War on Drugs Killed Thousands. Now the Government Is Blaming Corrupt Police

Chad De Guzman, Time

“Dahas, a monitoring initiative from the University of the Philippines Diliman’s Third World Studies Center, reports even higher figures: recording 161 killings from June 30 to Dec. 7, 2022.” Read full report

6 January 2023

No sign Philippines drug war will end, despite promises from Marcos Jr.

Chris Fitzgerald, Globe

“The University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center’s Dahas program, which monitors the war on drugs, recently estimated that 127 people have been killed between 1 July, when Marcos Jr began his term, and 7 November.
This is far larger than the Philippine police estimate of 46 people killed during anti-drug operations during this period.”
 Read full report

20 December 2022

PNP assures public ‘Oplan Tokhang’ won’t be abused if revived

Jean Mangaluz, Philippine Daily Inquirer

The University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center said 127 people were killed in the government’s anti-drug campaign from July 1 to November 7, but PNP Chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said the tally was only 46 – which was ‘very minimal.’ Read full report

18 December 2022

Groups Slam BBM-Sara Admin’s Human Rights Record

Davao Today

“In the first five months or from July 1 to November 30 of the current administration, data from the Dahas Project showed 152 drug-related killings. The number exceeded the 149 cases recorded during the final six months or from January 1 to June 30 this year of former president Rodrigo Duterte.” Read full report

15 December 2022

IN NUMBERS: People we lost under Marcos in 2022

Jairo Bolledo, Rappler

“However, the PNP’s number is more conservative compared to the 161 deaths Dahas has recorded from June 30 up to December 7. Dahas is run by University of the Philippines Diliman’s Third World Studies Center, which bases its data on reports about drug killings from various news outlets. Read full report

12 December 2022

Protestant Churches decry ‘state of brokenness’ of Philippines’ rights situation

Jose Torres Jr., LiCAS.news

“Citing a study done by the University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center, the NCCP said there have been 127 deaths connected with the ‘war on drugs’ from July 1 to November 7 this year, mostly attributed to state security forces. Read full report

10 December 2022

On Human Rights Day, Rights Group Assails Zero Justice for Killings, Rights Violantions under Marcos Jr.

Jonas Alpasan, Bulatlat

“The Third World Studies Center’s Dahas project has also documented at least 150 drug-related killings in the first five months of the Marcos Jr. administration. ‘Despite these sordid figures, there has been zero justice for the victims of extrajudicial killings. The culture of impunity continues to rear its ugly head,’ said Cristina Palabay, secretary general of Karapatan.” Read full report

5 December 2022

Philippines: Events of 2022

Human Rights Watch

“Soon after taking office on June 30, President Marcos stated he would continue the “war against drugs” initiated by his predecessor. While Marcos claimed his administration would do a “slightly different” anti-drug campaign by focusing on the rehabilitation of drug users, the unlawful use of force by the police and government agents continued. Monitoring by Dahas, a program run by the Third World Studies Center of the University of the Philippines, found that at least 90 people had been killed in what the center termed “drug-related violence” in the period since Marcos’ inauguration and September 30.” Read full report

21 November 2022

PNP on drug war deaths: We have no history of underreporting

Daniza Fernandez, Philippine Daily Inquirer

International group Human Rights Watch (HRW) earlier claimed that the PNP is underreporting the number of drug war deaths. Citing data from the University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center, the HRW said that there were 127 drug war deaths, higher than the police’s record of 46. Read full report

17 November 2022

The world is watching

Panay News

“As documented by the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center, there have been 127 deaths connected with the drug war from July 1 to Nov. 7 this year, mostly by state security forces. Read full report

17 November 2022

Philippines Undercounts Recent ‘Drug War’ Deaths

Phil Robertson, Human Rights Watch

“The police reported that 46 people were killed during anti-drug operations since Marcos took office on June 30. But this is far below the estimate of the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center, whose Dahas program monitors ‘drug war’ violence. The program tallied that 127 people were killed in ‘drug war’ incidents from July 1, the day after Marcos was sworn in, to November 7. Read full report

16 November 2022

PNP: 46 Killed in Drug War Under Marcos ‘Very Minimal’

Dexter Cabalza, Philippine Daily Inquirer 

“The 46 reported by Azurin and the 57 recorded by Dahas show a sharp drop from the more than 1,600 reported deaths of suspected drug offenders—users and dealers— killed in police operations in less than four months since Mr. Marcos’ predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, took office on June 30, 2016.” Read full report. 

14 November 2022

PNP chief: 46 killed in ‘war on drugs’ operations under Marcos

Franco Luna, Philstar

“The number of deaths acknowledged by the PNP is much lower than that monitored by Dahas PH, a running count of reported drug-related killings by the Third World Studies Center at the University of the Philippines, which documented 127 drug suspects killed between July 1 and November 7. Read full report

19 October 2022

War on drugs continues in Marcos’s Philippines

Federico Segarra, La Prensa Latina

“The Dahas Project, which has been scrutinizing the drug war since 2017 based on local media reports, admits that in this new stage “there is no way of knowing” if the deaths occur in conditions similar to those of Duterte’s brutal campaign.” Read full report

18 October 2022

Kin of EJK victims hit Remulla son’s ‘special treatment’

Krixia Subingsubing, Inquirer.net

Drug-related killings also occur under the administration of President Marcos, according to Dahas, a program of the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center. It said police and media reports showed more drug-related killings—in which the victim had alleged links to the illicit drug trade — in July, the first month of the Marcos presidency, than in June, the last month of the Duterte administration.

Altogether, 72 drug-related killings were recorded in July and August this year, Dahas said.” Read full report

September 2022

“War on Drugs” Continues Under Marcos (Philippines Country Profile)

Global State of Democracy Initiative 

“Drug-related killings continue to occur regularly under President Bongbong Marcos, says Human Rights Watch in a policy brief to UN member states. According to the monitoring of Dahas, a program affiliated with the University of the Philippines, 72 drug-related killings have been reported since Marcos took office on 30 June.” Read full report. 

28 September 2022

ICC finds no basis on PH govt’s arguments, reiterates probe on drug-related killings

Anne Marxze D. Umil, Bulatlat

“The Third World Studies Center of the University of the Philippines-Diliman claims that the running count on reported drug-related killings in the Philippines continues.” Read full report

25 September 2022

Get drug lords, not small fry, says Marcos

Dona Z. Pazzibugan, Inquirer.net

Data from the independent monitor Dahas PH, whose members are mostly from the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Programme, have shown that Duterte’s drug war consistently targeted small-time pushers, failing in its promise to bring down so-called high-value targets.” Read full report

24 September 2022

HRW disputes PNP’s ”bloodless’ antidrug efforts this month

Dempsey Reyes, Inquirer.net

“Phil Robertson, HRW’s deputy Asia director, stressed that data by the monitoring group Dahas PH, of which most members come from the University of the Philippines Third World Studies Program, showed “inaccuracy” on the ‘zero’ killings as touted by the Philippine National Police.

From the data of Dahas PH’s researchers, there were two deaths recorded this month, while 73 in July and August—the first two months of President Marcos in office.” Read full report

21 September 2022

PNP claims bloodless anti-drug operations in September

Dexter Cabalza, Inquirer.net

“No casualties were reported in all these operations,” he told reporters at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

However, at least two persons were reported killed after shooting it out with the police, based on the monitoring of Dahas, a research project of the Third World Studies Center of the University of the Philippines Diliman and the Department of Conflict and Development Studies of Ghent University in Belgium.” Read full report

19 September 2022

Uccisioni illegali nelle Filippine: necessaria un’indagine delle Nazioni Unite

Dexter Cabalza, Inquirer.net

“In un documento politico presentato agli Stati membri delle Nazioni Unite, la Human Rights Watch ha affermato che le uccisioni extragiudiziali nella “guerra alla droga” del governo filippino si verificano ancora regolarmente. Dahas (un programma del Centro Studi sul Terzo Mondo dell’Università delle Filippine) ha riportato 72 omicidi legati alla droga dopo che il presidente Ferdinand Marcos Jr. è entrato in carica il 30 giugno. I dati ufficiali del governo indicano che la polizia ha ucciso 71 persone dall’agosto 2021, portando a 6.252 il numero totale di omicidi denunciati dalla polizia tra luglio 2016 e maggio 2022. Il presidente Marcos non ha ripudiato gli abusi nella “guerra alla droga”, dichiarando di voler mantenere la linea adottata.” Read full report 

12 September 2022

UN Still Needs to Scrutinize the Philippines

Carlos H. Conde, Inquirer.net, Human Rights Watch

Drug-related killings remain commonplace. Dahas, a program of the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center, found by looking at police and media reports that there were more drug-related killings—in which the victim had alleged links to the illicit drug trade—in July, the first month of the Marcos Jr. presidency, than in June, the last month of the Duterte administration. Altogether, 72 drug-related killings were recorded in July and August.” Read full report. 

12 September 2022


Watchdog Group Urges UN to Scrutinize Philippine Drug-related Killings Under Marcos

Camille Elemia, Benar News 

“Since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office on June 30, 72 drug-related shootings by police have occurred in the Philippines, New York-based HRW said, citing Dahas, a program of the Third World Studies Center of the University of the Philippines that tracks media-reported drug deaths.” Read full report 

12 September 2022

Philippines: Strong UN Human Rights Council Action Needed

Human Rights Watch

“In a policy paper submitted to UN member states, Human Rights Watch said that extrajudicial killings in the Philippine government’s ‘war on drugs’ still occur on a regular basis. Dahas, a program of the Third World Studies Center of the University of the Philippines, has reported 72 drug-related killings after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office on June 30. Official government figures indicate that the police killed 71 people since August 2021, bringing the total number of killings reported by the police between July 2016 and May 2022 to 6,252. President Marcos has not repudiated abuses in the ‘drug war,’ which he said he would continue.” Read full report

31 August 2022

Crime wave?

Manuel L. Quezon III, Inquirer.net

“The UP Third World Studies Center has a Twitter account, @DahasPH, which has been consistently keeping tabs on the killings. Its most recent figures add up as follows: in 2022, there have been 200 drug-related killings, 51 of them since the present administration began (this includes 13 “body dumps”). Reviewing the weekly count, the killings ranged in low single digits except for the week of the President’s first Sona, when 14 were killed, numbers hardly different from Duterte’s last month in office.” Read full report

16 August 2022

Lawmakers, enforcers want ‘community-based’ campaign vs drugs

Franco Luna, Philstar

“However, according to Dahas, a running count of the reported drug-related killings in the Philippines maintained by the Third World Studies Center of the University of the Philippines Diliman, the killings continue to this day, over a month after Duterte stepped down from public office.” Read full report

23 July 2021

Duterte Drug War Has Killed 2 Per Day, Says UP Study

Krixia Subingsubing, Inquirer.net

The police have arbitrary ways of determining drug war deaths, which could obscure the real count,” Ariate pointed out. “It’s important to have a debate about this and make public these data so not all deaths can be simplified into ‘nanlaban’ (resisting arrest) . . . As such, the “Dahas” database—“dahas” is the Filipino word for violence—uses at least 27 criteria to assess each death: information on the victim (age, gender, occupation), incident (time, date, location) and assailants (state agent, nonstate agent, unknown), said Noriega. Read full report

8 May 2024

Pena di Morte per Droga: 467 Esecuzioni nel 2023
Leonardo Fiorentini, l’Unita

Così tante da richiamare l’attenzione della Corte Penale Internazionale e da spingere Duterte a uscire dal trattato istitutivo per provare a evitarne il giudizio. Anche dopo l’arrivo alla Presidenza di Ferdinand Marcos Jr. la guerra pare continuare, pur con numeri minori: sono 621 le vittime stimate dall’ascesa al potere del figlio dell’ex dittatore Marcos ad oggi, secondo il Dahas Project dell’Università delle Filippine. Read full report 

8 May 2024

Drug Killings Go On; Journalists Must Keep Probing 
Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism 

As of April 30, Dahas has recorded 639 killings on Marcos’ watch. It is a project of the Third World Studies Center of the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy at the University of the Philippines Diliman that keeps track of the drug war killings. Read full report 

April 2024

The State of the World’s Human Rights
Amnesty International

Extrajudicial executions in the context of the “war on drugs” that started in 2016 continued into the second year of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration, despite his public pronouncements that the campaign against illicit drugs would focus on treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration. According to media monitoring by the university-based research group Dahas, at least 329 people were killed in 2023 by state agents during police-led anti-drug operations or by unknown individuals. Read full report

25 April 2024

DFA: State Dep’t Assessment of Rights Situation Misleading
Ashzel Hachero, Malaya Business Insight

The State Department report cited data from non-government organization Dahas PH which said that there were 209 killings related to the government’s anti-drug campaign from January to August 2023. It also used data from the Commission on Human Rights, an independent government office constitutionally responsible for investigating possible human rights violations, which said that it investigated 51 new complaints of alleged extrajudicial or politically motivated killings as of July last year. The cases involved 82 victims and were allegedly perpetrated by six PNP personnel, two members of the military, seven insurgents, four civilians, and 33 unidentified persons. Read full report

25 April 2024

DOJ Chief: EJK, Shortcuts End 
Alvin Murcia, Daily Tribune

This was contained in a 58-page Country Report on Human Rights Practices wherein the State Department said the human rights situation in the Philippines showed “no significant changes.” The report said though that the number of incidents of arbitrary and extrajudicial killings and “some other abuses by government agents” decreased in 2023. It attributed the EJKs to the “arbitrary or unlawful killings by police in connection with antidrug operations” as the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. continued the war on drugs started by his predecessor, former President Rodrigo Duterte. Citing data from the non-governmental organization Dahas PH, the State Department said there were 209 killings related to anti-drug operations from January to August 2023. Report full report

24 April 2024

Marcos Urged to Make ‘Explicit’ Order Stopping Bloody Drug War 
Jodesz Gavilan, Rappler  

There have been at least 612 drug-related killings across the Philippines between July 1, 2022 and April 15, 2024, according to monitoring conducted by the Dahas Project of the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center. Out of this number, 264 were killed by state agents, or members of the police force. In its report, Amnesty highlighted the continued killings in the Philippines and the culture of impunity “remained entrenched” as evident in the lack of justice for drug war victims. Read full report

24 April 2024

Remulla: DOJ Taking Steps to Hold Erring Law Enforcers in EJKs Accountable
Joahnah Lei Casilao

At a press conference in Quezon City, Amnesty International Philippines director Butch Olano said Marcos should “make an explicit and categorical policy pronouncement to end the so-called war on drugs and EJKs.” Citing data from UP’s Dahas Project, which documents drug-related killings, Olano said there were 329 individuals killed in 2023. He also said UP’s Third World Studies Center found that 342 individuals were killed from June 2022 to June 2023. Due to this, he said there were at least 600 people killed during the first 19 months of the Marcos administration. Read full report

 

24 April 2024

EJKs in PH Persisted in 2023, Says Amnesty International
Joahna Lei Casilao, GMA Integrated News 

In a press conference in Quezon City, Amnesty International Philippines director Butch Olano said Marcos should “make an explicit and categorical policy pronouncement to end the so-called war on drugs and EJKs. Citing data from UP’s Dahas Project, which documents drug-related killings, Olano said there were 329 individuals killed in 2023. He also said UP’s Third World Studies Center found that 342 individuals were killed from June 2022 to June 2023. Due to this, he said there were at least 600 people killed during the first 19 months of the Marcos administration. Read full report

17 April 2024

EJKs Remain A Serious Problem in PH — US Gov’t Report
Joahna Lei Casilao, GMA Integrated News 

The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices are submitted annually by the US Department of State to the US Congress.
Despite this, the State Dept. said the number of EJKs in the country decreased in 2023.”There were no significant changes in the human rights situation in the Philippines during the year, although the number of incidents of arbitrary and extrajudicial killings and of some other abuses by government agents decreased,” the report stated. 
Citing data from a non-governmental organization, the department stated that there were 209 killings related to anti-drug operations from January to August 2023. It said the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) also investigated 51 new complaints of alleged EJKs or politically motivated killings. Read full report

 

17 April 2024

Philippines’ Marcos Takes Swipe at Duterte Over Record Drug Bust
Benar News, Eurasia Review News & Analysis

Marcos has said that the drug war will continue, even as the approach will be different and focus more on rehabilitating suspects. Still, officer-involved killings have continued under his watch. Data from the Dahas Project of the University of the Philippines that tracks down drug-related killings show that 611 suspects have been slain since Marcos assumed the presidency in 2022 until April 7 of this year. Read full report

16 April 2024

Drug Bust in Philippines Leads to Seizure of 1.8 Tonnes of Methamphetamine 

Nelson Walters, Barron’s

Since taking office in June 2022, Marcos has overseen more than 600 drug-related killings, according to data from the Dahas research project. While the numbers remain high, human rights advocates have pointed to the recent drug bust as evidence that drug enforcement can be carried out without resorting to violence if authorities follow due process. Carlos Conde, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, called on the Marcos administration to declare an end to the violent drug war and to retract Duterte’s orders for a harsh crackdown. Conde emphasized the need for Marcos to align his drug policy with his rhetoric on reform and to prioritize non-violent approaches to addressing drug issues in the Philippines. Read full report  

16 April 2024

Philippines Seizes 1.8 Tonnes of Meth in Drug Bust 

Agence France Press, Barron’s

The drug war has continued under Marcos even though he has pushed for more emphasis on prevention and rehabilitation. More than 600 people have been killed in drug-related killings since he took power in June 2022, according to figures compiled by Dahas, a University of the Philippines-backed research project that keeps a count of such killings. Read full report 

 

7 April 2024

Philippines: New ‘Drug War’ Declared in Davao City

 Human Rights Watch

These recent killings in Davao City are merely a spike in a “drug war” that has never stopped, Human Rights Watch said. The University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center has reported that since Duterte became mayor in June 2022, Davao del Sur, the city’s greater provincial area, has had more drug-related killings than any other area in the country, including Metro Manila.  Read full report

 

25 March 2024

Abuse of Power: Under Marcos, War on Drugs Drags on in Manila

DW Bureau, DT Next 

Dahas recorded 342 drug casualties from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023, at an average rate of 0.9 deaths per day, a tad higher than the 0.8 daily average during Duterte’s last year in office. The project logged 165 more deaths during the last six months of 2023, and 29 each in January and February this year. Duterte’s years-long anti-drug campaign left thousands of people dead, as a result of either police operations or vigilante killings. Read full report 

24 March 2024

Violencia Policial y Asisenatos en Masa: Cómo Continúa la Lucha Contra el Narcotráfico en Filipinas

PorCanal26

El proyecto Dahas de la Universidad de Filipinas registró 342 víctimas del narcotráfico entre el 1 de julio de 2022 y el 30 de junio de 2023, a un ritmo de aproximadamente 0,9 muertes por día en promedio, un poco más que la media diaria de 0,8 durante el último año de mandato de Duterte. En los últimos seis meses del año pasado, en la investigación reportaron 165 muertes, y 29 en los primeros dos meses de 2024. Read full report 

 

24 March 2024

Philippinen: Drogenkrieg Geht Unvermindert Weiter

Nikka Valenzuela, Deutsche Welle

“Aber Statistiken über die Tötungen im Zusammenhang mit Drogen zeichnen ein anderes Bild. Daten des Dahas-Projekts, einer Initiative der Universität der Philippinen, zeigen, dass sich die Gewalt auf dem gleichen Niveau fortsetzt wie während der Präsidentschaft unter Duterte. Dahas verzeichnete vom 1. Juli 2022 bis zum 30. Juni 2023 die Zahl von 342 Tötungen, was durchschnittlich 0,9 Todesfällen pro Tag entspricht und damit sogar etwas mehr als der Tagesdurchschnitt von 0,8 im letzten Amtsjahr des umstrittenen Präsident Duterte.” Read full report

 

22 March 2024

Guerra Antidrogas das Filipinas Continua Letal Sob Marcos

DW, UOL

“During a recent visit to Germany, he told Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz that, during his term, the anti-drug campaign had ‘completely changed’ to prevention and rehabilitation. However, the numbers of homicides related to this ‘war’ form a very different picture: according to data from the Dahas project, an initiative of the University of the Philippines, drug-related violence remains at the same level as in the previous administration.” Read full report

21 March 2024

Philippines Drug War: What Changed Under President Marcos?

Deutsche Welle, Taiwan News 

“In a recent visit to Germany, the Philippine president told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that the drug campaign has ‘completely changed’ to prevention and rehabilitation during his tenure. But the numbers on the continuing drug-related killings paint a different picture. Data from the Dahas project, an initiative of the University of the Philippines, show that the drug violence continues at the same level as it was under President Duterte. Dahas recorded 342 drug casualties from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023, at an average rate of 0.9 deaths per day, a tad higher than the 0.8 daily average during Duterte’s last year in office.” Read full report

15 March 2024

[Watch] Dahas Project, the Team that Continues to Count Drug War Victims
Jairo Bolledo, Rappler

Even when he stepped down from power in 2022, the killings continue to persist. To sustain a record of these killings, the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center continued its Dahas Project. Under this project, a small team scours various sources and records drug-related killings.

14 March 2024

Marcos to Germany: ICC Has No Power to Probe Duterte for Drug Deaths

Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Business World Online 

The University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center’s Dahas project had said there were 342 drug-related killings a year into Mr. Marcos’ term, including 115 deaths during police drug raids.” Read full report

14 March 2024

Drug War| Rights Group Refutes Marcos’ Remarks on ‘Changed’ Drug War Policy

Clarist Zaplan, News5

“The killings have continued under the Marcos Jr. administration, with 342 drug-related killings reported during the first year of his term, according to the Dahas project of the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center (UP TWSC).” Read full report 

 

5 March 2024

‘Left Behind’ Families Look to ICC for Philippines Drug War Justice

Nick Aspinwall, Al Jazeera

“Philippine National Police chief Benjamin Acorda Jr admitted in February that people were still killed in police drug operations after Dahas project data showed there had been 28 drug-related killings in January. . . He insisted the killings were not intentional.” Read full report. 

12 February 2024

PNP: PH Crime Rate Drops 27.6% from Jan. 1 to Feb. 10

Christopher Lloyd Caliwan, PNA

“Acorda further reiterated that extrajudicial killings are not part of PNP’s operational doctrine . . . ‘We don’t condone extrajudicial killings and these allegations of Dahas, we welcome them. If they have some facts or circumstances and witnesses that will say otherwise to what was reported to our units on the ground, we welcome them because again as I have said, we want our operations to be aggressive but we want it done honestly and we respect what we call rights of every individual na hinuhuli (who is arrested),’ he said.Read full report.

12 February 2024

PNP Chief Brushes Off Claims of Extrajudicial Killings Under Marcos Admin

Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo

“Acorda made the statement following the release of data under University of the Philippines Diliman’s ‘Project Dahas,’ which showed that 28 individuals were killed in anti-illegal drug operations in January 2024 . . . It said 14 of which were killed by unidentified assailants while nine were killed by policemen . . . Acorda admitted that there were drug-related killings during police anti-illegal drug operations.” Read full report

9 February 2024

A Brutal Death and Marcos’s Broken Promise of a ‘Bloodless’ Drug Policy

Sean Marcus Ingalla, Philippine Collegian

“In the same month, Congress hailed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s ‘bloodless’ drug war campaign. This claim did not align with the numbers: drug-related killings under Marcos’s first year in office surpassed the death toll of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s last year as a president, according to monitoring project Dahas by the UP Third World Studies Center. Bloodshed, as in the case of Chrismel, is still enabled by conditions of continued impunity under Marcos’s drug campaign.” Read full report 

25 January 2024

The Hitman, the Bodies, the Prisoners

Cordelia Lynch, Sky News

The killings haven’t stopped though. The Dahas Project out of the University of the Philippines recorded more drug-related killings in the first year of Marcos Jr’s presidency than the final one of Duterte. It does appear the violence has now pushed into the provinces outside of Manila and further south in Davao City. Read full report 

4 January 2024

Philippines: Bone Diggers Seek Justice for Dead in Duterte’s Drug War

Linda Pressly, BBC News, Manila

But the Dahas Project at the University of the Philippines recorded 342 drug-related killings in Mr Marcos’ first year – 40 more than in the last year of Mr Duterte’s rule. And they say around 40% of those killed were small-time users and dealers.Read full report. 

31 December 2023

Philippines Drug War Victims Look to ICC for Justice as Killings Continue Under Marcos Jr

Steve Zhang, ABC News AU

“The assumption would be that because there’s no belligerent rhetoric from Ferdinand Marcos Jr, this will be a less violent presidency. But the numbers do not sustain that particular view,” said Joel Ariate who runs Dahas, a project tracking drug-related killings established by the University of the Philippines Diliman and Ghent University.Read full report.

7 December 2023

Dangeorus Drugs Act | Philippines Eyes Review of Anti-Drug Law – Justice Official 

Clarist Zablan, News5

“At least 6,000 suspected drug offenders were killed in anti-drug operations during the Duterte administration, based on police data. But human rights groups peg the death toll from his drug war policy at as high as 30,000, including vigilante killings. But human rights groups have noted that the killings have continued well into the Marcos Jr. administration. Dahas, a project of the University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center (UP TWSC), tallied at least 342 drug-related killings during Marcos’ first year as president.” Read full report 

17 November 2023

As Philippines’ Drug War Rolls On, Christians Continue Their Work

Beng Alba-Jones, Christianity Today

“Since taking office, Marcos has established more than 100 community-based drug rehab centers that provide drug users with temporary shelter and reintegrate them into society. Today there are nearly 500 of these centers, called Balay Silangan Reformation Centers, in the Philippines. However, during the first year of Marcos’s presidency, the number of drug-related killings actually increased from the last year of Duterte’s term, according to a recent report by the Dahas Project at the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center. They counted 342 killings from Marcos’s inauguration in July 2022 until June 2023, 40 more than the previous year. Of that number, state agents killed a total of 146 people.” Read full report 

1 November 2023

61 Killed Under Marcos Admin As ‘War Against Illegal Drugs’ Continues in Philippines

Riyaz ul Khaliq, Anadolu Ajansi

“Data from Dahas, a monitoring project run by the University of the Philippines, however, revealed: ‘There were 175 drug-related killings in the country during Marcos’ first few months as President, or between 12 noon of June 30 and December 31, 2022.'” Read full report

1 November 2023

Rodrigo Duterte’s Legacy

Margaret Simons, Inside Story

“It’s true that the number of killings is lower than the peak in 2016–17. But the best available figures, compiled by the Dahas project of the Third World Studies Center at the University of the Philippines, show that deaths, far from easing under Marcos, are more common than in the last years of the Duterte administration. (Dahas acknowledges that its figures are underestimates; they are drawn entirely from the media, which doesn’t report many fatalities.) Read full report

14 October 2023

Navotas Killing Zone: 3rd Young Man Killed in 2 Months in Same Area 

Jairo Bolledo, Rappler

As of October 7, there had been 432 drug-related killings both by law enforcers and unidentified suspects under the term of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., according to data from Dahas, a research initiative by the University of the Philippines (UP) Third World Studies Center.Read full report. 

14 October 2023

Unearthing the Truth

Jaileen F. Jimeno, Asia Democracy Chronicles

“According to the 2023 Human Rights Watch (HRW) Report, “the unlawful use of force by the police and government agents (has) continued” under the Marcos Jr. government. The report cited data from Dahas, a research program run by the Third World Studies Center of the University of the Philippines.

Dahas reports that as of June 30, 2023, a year into Marcos Jr.’s term, a total of 342 have been killed by state actors in connection with illegal drugs. This is higher than the 302 reported in the last year of the Duterte administration.” Read full report. 

11 October 2023

Oral Statement Given During the General Debate on the 
Ahmed Adam on behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)

“The highly militarised drug war, despite the objective to implement a rights based-approach, continues to claim lives. Independent monitoring group Dahas documented over 250 drug related killings this year alone. At least 45 per cent of these were committed by state agents. There has been no tangible progress towards accountability for the widespread killings.” Read full report 

9 October 2023

Filipinos use 20,000 kilos of illegal drugs each year

Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, Business World

“Police killed at least 342 suspects in drug raids in the first year of the Marcos government, according to the Dahas project under the University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center.” Read full report.

26 September 2023

The Courtroom in Caloocan

Bryan Lau, The Dial 

“On July 18, the ICC announced that the Philippine government had lost the appeal. The justice secretary, Crispin Remulla, under President Marcos, who had replaced Duterte in June 2022, denounced the ICC for foreign interference. The drug war continues: 342 people died in drug-related killings during the first year under Marcos, according to the Dahas database maintained by the Third World Studies Center at the University of the Philippines. The president seems unlikely to repudiate the drug war, as long as he remains allied with his predecessor, whose daughter, Sara Z. Duterte, is the current vice president.” Read full report 

6 September 2023

Philippines Records Highest Weekly Deaths in ‘War on Drugs’: Monitoring Program 

Necva Tastan, Anadolu Ajansi

The Philippines, during the first week of this month, has recorded the highest number of weekly deaths of the year in the so-called ‘war on drugs,’ a monitoring program has claimed . . . Among the 14 fatalities, ’11 were caused by state agents’ in the northeastern Davao City of the Philippines, the monitoring project Dahas run by the University of the Philippines showed.” Read full report. 

3 September 2023

Philippines: ‘The Government is Headed by a Former Dictator’s Son Who Reached Power in a Suspicious Manner’ 

CIVICUS

“However, while the focus on the drug problem remains, there has been a discursive shift from Duterte’s punitive and violent approach to an anti-drug campaign emphasising prevention and rehabilitation. But this hasn’t translated into an end to extrajudicial killings, which continue unabated in impoverished urban areas that are known to be havens for drug-related activities. Dahas, a research group from the University of the Philippines, reported 342 instances of drug-related killings carried out by state and non-state groups and people during the first year of the new government. The targets of the anti-drug campaign continue to be minor drug users and low-level peddlers. As happened under the previous administration, prominent drug lords remain untouched.” Read full report 

8 August 2023

‘We can’t be bribed:’ Families of drug war victims reveal offers to drop cases amid ICC probe

Aie Balagtas See,PCIJ

“As of May 31, 309 have been killed in connection with illegal drugs, according to the Dahas Project of the UP Third World Studies Center, which is keeping tabs on the drug war on Marcos’ watch.” Read full report

24 July 2023

Philippines’ Marcos Says Drug War Has ‘A New Face’

Bangkok Post 

“The deadly crackdown has continued under Marcos, the son and namesake of the country’s former dictator, even as he pushed for a greater emphasis on prevention and treatment. More than 350 drug-related killings have been recorded since Marcos took office in June 2022, according to figures compiled by Dahas, a University of the Philippines-backed research project that keeps a count of such killings.” Read full report

21 July 2023

Philippines Will Not Cooperate with ICC in Drug War Probe: Marcos

AFP, The Straits Times  

“More than 350 drug-related killings have been recorded since Mr Marcos took office last June, according to figures compiled by Dahas, a University of the Philippines-backed research project that keeps count of such killings.” Read full report

21 July 2023

Marcos Says Philippines is ‘Done Talking’ with ICC 

Agence France Press

“More than 350 drug-related killings have been recorded since Marcos took office last June, according to figures compiled by Dahas, a University of the Philippines-backed research project that keeps count of such killings.” Report full report 

16 July 2023

Duterte out, Marcos in: What has happened to the country’s campaign against illegal drugs?

Mariel Celine Serquiña, CNN Philippines

In a June report, the University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center logged at least 300 drug-related killings since Marcos became the president.” Read full report

10 July 2023

Hundreds killed in drug war during Marcos’ 1st year

Jodesz Gavilan, Rappler

Violence continues well into the new administration as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. closes his first year in office with more than 300 deaths allegedly related to the continuing war on drugs. At least 342 drug-related killings were recorded from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023, according to the Dahas Project of the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center.” Read full report

30 June 2023

A year into presidency, Marcos quietly keeps Duterte’s drug war going — rights groups

Cristina Chi, Philstar

“At least 336 drug-related killings have taken place since Marcos became president, most during law enforcement’s anti-drug operations, according to the UP Third World Studies Center, which maintains a running count of drug-related killings based on media reports.” Read full report

29 June 2023

A year of Marcos Jr: how a dictator’s son has changed the Philippines

Rebecca Ratcliffe, The Guardian

“Marcos has avoided overtly condemning the human rights record of the previous administration, though he has said the so-called war on drugs should be more focused on prevention, and that told police to go after bigger players – not ‘the kid who makes 100 pesos ($2) a week selling weed’.

However, the killings, say researchers, are continuing under his government: more than 300 drug-related killings have been recorded since he took office.” Read full report

28 June 2023

Philippines Drugs Crackdown Continues as Marcos Jr. Marks First Anniversary

Chris Fitzgerald, Globe: Lines of Thought Across Southeast Asia 

“But despite Marcos Jr.’s highly-publicised promises, 2023 has been no different. The Dahas reporting project tracked 148 drug-related killings between January and 7 June. Last month was the deadliest so far, with 37 killings. Overall, 323 people have died in drug-related circumstances since Marcos Jr. took power . This shows the war on drugs continues unabated, costing more lives.” Read full report

 27 June 2023

MORE HUMANE | Hontiveros backs UN experts on call to end violent global war on drugs

Beatrice Puente, News5

“Dahas, an initiative of the Third World Studies Center of the University of the Philippines, has counted 336 drug-related killings under Marcos so far. Duterte’s brutal war on drugs led to the death of around 30,000 people, including those killed by vigilantes.” Read full report

15 June 2023

Rappler Shows How ‘Drug War’ Violence Continues Under Marcos

CMFR Staff, Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility 

“The second part of the report produced a timeline following the statements made by Marcos and other government officials on illegal drugs. Gavilan also examined the data depicting the continuing ‘drug war’ under Marcos, showing up the different numbers published by government agencies and by Dahas, a project of the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center. ” Read full report  

 11 June 2023

A mother thinks the worst is over after Duterte. Then her son is killed under Marcos.

Jodesz Gavilan, Rappler

“By the end of August 2022, the month Rolly was killed, there were already at least 74 victims of drug-related killings, including those killed by state agents and unidentified individuals, according to monitoring by Dahas, a project of the University of the Philippines Diliman’s Third World Studies Center. ” Read full report

8 June 2023

What’s the State of Philippine Human Rights Under Marcos?

Cecil Morella, The Japan Times 

“More than 300 drug-related killings have been recorded since Marcos took office last June, according to figures compiled by Dahas, a University of the Philippines-backed research project that keeps count of drug-related killings. That includes 175 in the first six months of Marcos’s presidency. In November, police acknowledged that 46 drug suspects had been killed since he took office.” Read full report 

7 June 2023

What’s the State of Philippine Human Rights Under Marcos?

Cecil Morella, Barron’s

“More than 300 drug-related killings have been recorded since Marcos took office last June, according to figures compiled by Dahas, a University of the Philippines-backed research project that keeps count of drug-related killings. That includes 175 in the first six months of Marcos’s presidency. In November, police acknowledged that 46 drug suspects had been killed since he took office.” Read full report

7 June 2023

What’s the State of Philippine Human Rights Under Marcos? 

AFP, France 24

“Marcos has continued the crackdown but has pushed for more focus on prevention and rehabilitation. He told police to go after major drug dealers and not ‘the kid who makes 100 pesos ($2) a week selling weed.’ Yet the bodies keep piling up. More than 300 drug-related killings have been recorded since Marcos took office last June, according to figures compiled by Dahas, a University of the Philippines-backed research project that keeps count of drug-related killings.” Read full report 

 23 May 2023

‘War on drugs’ victims’ kin ‘unanimously’ support ICC investigation

Kaycee Valmonte with Kristine Joy Patag, Philstar

The UP Third World Studies Center’s latest report showed there have been 294 total reported drug-related killings under Marcos Jr., with 11 recorded just last May 8 to 15. ” Read full report

 23 May 2023

Victims, kin ‘strongly urge’ ICC to allow resumption of drug war probe

Jodesz Gavilan, Rappler

“Dahas, a project of the University of the Philippines-Diliman Third World Studies Center, monitored at least 294 reported drug-related killings under the Marcos administration, as of May 17, 2023. At least 106 were killed during legitimate government operations between June 30, 2022, to May 7, 2023.” Read full report

 14 May 2023

Not losing hope: Mother of drug war victim finds courage in helping other grieving families

Jodesz Gavilan, Rappler

For most part, Marcos seems to be deviating from Duterte’s approach, wanting to focus more on prevention. He even said during his US trip that Duterte’s war on drugs resulted in ‘abuses by certain elements in the government.’

But killings still continue. Dahas, a project of the University of the Philippines-Diliman Third World Studies Center, monitored at least 281 reported drug-related killings under the Marcos administration, as of May 7, 2023. Out of this number, 106 were killed during legitimate government operations.” Read full report

 24 April 2023

Marcos to new PNP chief: Be open to scrutiny, exercise maximum tolerance

Jairo Bolledo, Rappler

“Despite Marcos’ ‘slightly different’ war on drugs, the drug-related killings have continued in the country. Dahas, a project of the University of the Philippines Diliman’s Third World Studies Center, has documented at least 263 reported drug-related killings from July 2022 to April 22, 2023.” Read full report

 30 March 2023

Explainer: Can ICC’s Philippines drugs war probe make progress if Manila cuts contact?

Karen Lema and Neil Jerome Morales

“Police data showed 46 people have been killed during anti-drug operations between June 30, 2022, when Marcos took office, to November, way below the estimate of the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center, whose research programme tallied 127 people killed in ‘drug war’ incidents from July 1 to November 7.” Read full report

 27 March 2023

Amnesty International Report 2022/23: The state of the world’s human rights

Amnesty International

“According to the university-based research group Dahas, 324 drug-related killings by the police and other unknown assailants were recorded during 2022, 175 of which took place after July.” Read full report

23 March 2023

NCCP tells UN about continuing rights violations in the PH

National Council of Churches in the Philippines

“Speaking at the general debates of the ongoing 52nd Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva, Switzerland, NCCP program secretary for Faith, Witness and Service Mervin Sol Toquero reported before the international body that there had been 223 drug-related killings since July 2022, the start of the Ferdinand Marcos Jr. administration. ” Read full report

18 March 2023

EU, Marcos face own crossroads in trade perks renewal as PH impunity persists

Jodesz Gavilan, Rappler

Dahas, a project by the University of the Philippines Diliman’s Third World Studies Center, documented at least 223 reported drug-related killings from July 2022 to March 7, 2023 based on news reports. ” Read full report

9 March 2023

On the Philippine Government’s Statements at the UNHRC and the Marcos-Duterte Admin’s Human Rights Coordinating Council

KARAPATAN

“Drug war killings continue, with the University of the Philippine’s Dahas project recording 565 drug-related killings under the current administration. Convictions of police perpetrators during the previous Duterte administration are a drop in the bucket while masterminds such as Duterte and his cohorts remain unscathed—which is why victims’ families have continuously looked to the International Criminal Court for redress.” Read full report 

8 March 2023

Cycle of violence recalls dark Duterte legacy

Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility

“Added to this number is the average of five killed in drug operations per week in the first two months of 2023 based on data provided by Dahas last March 3. Dahas, a project of the Third World Studies Center of the University of the Philippines, has kept a running count of drug war casualties since Duterte launched his “war on drugs.” Read full report

7 March 2023

Marcos’ “War on Drugs” Kills 58 People in 2024

Ang Bayan 

“According to its research, ‘drug-related’ killings have increased again since Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office. Although number were high during the Duterte regime, the pattern of killings show a downtrend since its 2017 peak under the leadership of Ronald ‘Bato’ de la Rosa. In 2022, for example, Dahas PH recorded 175 murders in the first six months of Marcos (July-December), higher by 26 than the 149 murders in the last six months of the Duterte regime (January-June 2022). In the following year, the number of victims increased further, from 324 in 2022 to 331 for 2023.” Read full report 

22 February 2023

Hontiveros to EU MPs: Drug-related killings have not stopped, ICC investigation will not harm domestic efforts

Senate of the Philippines

“According to the UP Third World Studies Center, the 152 drug-related killings under the Marcos, Jr. administration exceeded the 149 recorded killings during the final six months of former President Duterte’s administration. Of the 152 killed since the start of the new admin, 46.7% were committed by state operatives.” Read full report

12 February 2023

International Criminal Court to Pursue Action Against Philippines’ Deadly Drug War

Michelle Bozzi, The Organization for World Peace

“’The war on drugs will continue so long as people are making money from it,’ Joel Ariate Jr., a researcher at the University of the Philippines, told Foreign Policy, expressing cynicism for the ICC’s intervention. ‘What chance is there that this process can lead to justice?'” Read full report

10 February 2023

Rody: Drug war fizzling out

Lade Jean Kabagani, Daily Tribune

On the other hand, Dahas, a monitoring project affiliated with the University of the Philippines Diliman’s Third World Studies Center, claimed there were 175 drug-related killings and not 61 during the said period.” Read full report

8 February 2023

Atrocity Alert No. 334: Nigeria, Philippines and Wagner Group

Global Centre for Responsibility to Protect 

“Although the majority of deaths took place between 2016-2018, the police and armed vigilantes continue to perpetrate extrajudicial killings of those perceived to be involved in illicit drug activity, including since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office in June 2022. The University of the Philippines’ Dahas program, which monitors reported drug-related killings, documented 324 people killed in drug-related incidents during 2022, including 175 in the first six months that President Marcos Jr. was in power.” Read full report 

 

3 February 2023

PNP touts drug war wins, including killings

Dexter Cabalza, Philippine Daily Inquirer

A study by the Third World Studies Center of the University of the Philippines and the Development Studies of Ghent University in Belgium, however, presents a higher death toll. In the study called ‘Dahas,’ which includes a running count of drug-related killings based on media reports, 19 persons were killed from Jan. 1 to Jan. 31, adding to the 324 it tallied last year.” Read full report

1 February 2023

Manila’s countless dead

Margaret Simons, The Monthly

The Dahas figures tell a different story. They include any deaths where drugs were reported be part of the context as well as those carried out by unknown perpetrators. As one of the project’s publication states: ‘The war sprawls over a whole criminal complex beyond state authorities, and includes various criminal elements with varying intent to harm their victims. Failing to account for these casualties … offers a limited view of how the drug war accumulates its fatalities.'” Read full report

28 January 2023

‘Not welcome,’ Manila says as ICC resumes probe into Philippines’ ‘war on drugs’

Riyaz ul Khaliq, Anadolu Agency

“But data from Dahas, a monitoring project run by the University of the Philippines, revealed: ‘There were 175 drug-related killings in the country during Marcos’ first few months as President, or between 12 noon of June 30 and December 31, 2022.'” Read full report

27 January 2023

ICC to resume investigation into Philippines’s deadly drug war

Al Jazeera

“Dahas, which keeps track of reported drug-related killings, said earlier this month that 324 people had died in the drug war in 2022, including 175 in the first six months that Marcos Jr was in power.” Read full report

26 January 2023

Hundreds of Philippine police are filing their resignations. Why?

Mark Saludes, The Christian Science Monitor

“Dahas, a monitoring project by the University of the Philippines Diliman’s Third World Studies Center, counted 175 drug-related killings from July 1 to Dec. 31, 2022 – higher than the death toll during Mr. Duterte’s last six months in office.” Read full report

13 January 2023

Conflicting statistics

Manila Standard

“Dahas says there were 175 drug-related killings during the same period. This brings the total drug-related death toll to 324 in 2022 – a year that covered the last six months of the Duterte administration and the start of the Marcos administration.” Read full report

11 January 2023

The Philippines Is Losing Its ‘War on Drugs’

Margaret Simons, Foreign Policy

“In December 2022, Dahas, a research and advocacy project, reported that there had been 152 drug-related killings in the first five months of Bongbong’s regime. This surpassed the 149 killings in the last six months of Duterte’s reign.” Read full report

10 January 2023

Philippine police say 61 killed under Marcos admin’s campaign against illegal drugs in 2022

The Star

But according to Dahas, a monitoring project run by the University of the Philippines Diliman’s Third World Studies Centre, there were 175 drug-related killings in the country during Marcos’ first few months as President, or between 12 noon of June 30 and Dec 31, 2022.

This, Dahas noted, brings the total drug-related death toll to 324 in 2022 – a year that saw both the tail-end of the Duterte administration and the start of the Marcos administration. Read full report

6 January 2023

The Filipino War on Drugs Killed Thousands. Now the Government Is Blaming Corrupt Police

Chad De Guzman, Time

“Dahas, a monitoring initiative from the University of the Philippines Diliman’s Third World Studies Center, reports even higher figures: recording 161 killings from June 30 to Dec. 7, 2022.” Read full report

6 January 2023

No sign Philippines drug war will end, despite promises from Marcos Jr.

Chris Fitzgerald, Globe

“The University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center’s Dahas program, which monitors the war on drugs, recently estimated that 127 people have been killed between 1 July, when Marcos Jr began his term, and 7 November.
This is far larger than the Philippine police estimate of 46 people killed during anti-drug operations during this period.”
 Read full report

20 December 2022

PNP assures public ‘Oplan Tokhang’ won’t be abused if revived

Jean Mangaluz, Philippine Daily Inquirer

The University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center said 127 people were killed in the government’s anti-drug campaign from July 1 to November 7, but PNP Chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said the tally was only 46 – which was ‘very minimal.’ Read full report

18 December 2022

Groups Slam BBM-Sara Admin’s Human Rights Record

Davao Today

“In the first five months or from July 1 to November 30 of the current administration, data from the Dahas Project showed 152 drug-related killings. The number exceeded the 149 cases recorded during the final six months or from January 1 to June 30 this year of former president Rodrigo Duterte.” Read full report

15 December 2022

IN NUMBERS: People we lost under Marcos in 2022

Jairo Bolledo, Rappler

“However, the PNP’s number is more conservative compared to the 161 deaths Dahas has recorded from June 30 up to December 7. Dahas is run by University of the Philippines Diliman’s Third World Studies Center, which bases its data on reports about drug killings from various news outlets. Read full report

12 December 2022

Protestant Churches decry ‘state of brokenness’ of Philippines’ rights situation

Jose Torres Jr., LiCAS.news

“Citing a study done by the University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center, the NCCP said there have been 127 deaths connected with the ‘war on drugs’ from July 1 to November 7 this year, mostly attributed to state security forces. Read full report

10 December 2022

On Human Rights Day, Rights Group Assails Zero Justice for Killings, Rights Violantions under Marcos Jr.

Jonas Alpasan, Bulatlat

“The Third World Studies Center’s Dahas project has also documented at least 150 drug-related killings in the first five months of the Marcos Jr. administration. ‘Despite these sordid figures, there has been zero justice for the victims of extrajudicial killings. The culture of impunity continues to rear its ugly head,’ said Cristina Palabay, secretary general of Karapatan.” Read full report

5 December 2022

Philippines: Events of 2022

Human Rights Watch

“Soon after taking office on June 30, President Marcos stated he would continue the “war against drugs” initiated by his predecessor. While Marcos claimed his administration would do a “slightly different” anti-drug campaign by focusing on the rehabilitation of drug users, the unlawful use of force by the police and government agents continued. Monitoring by Dahas, a program run by the Third World Studies Center of the University of the Philippines, found that at least 90 people had been killed in what the center termed “drug-related violence” in the period since Marcos’ inauguration and September 30.” Read full report

21 November 2022

PNP on drug war deaths: We have no history of underreporting

Daniza Fernandez, Philippine Daily Inquirer

International group Human Rights Watch (HRW) earlier claimed that the PNP is underreporting the number of drug war deaths. Citing data from the University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center, the HRW said that there were 127 drug war deaths, higher than the police’s record of 46. Read full report

17 November 2022

The world is watching

Panay News

“As documented by the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center, there have been 127 deaths connected with the drug war from July 1 to Nov. 7 this year, mostly by state security forces. Read full report

17 November 2022

Philippines Undercounts Recent ‘Drug War’ Deaths

Phil Robertson, Human Rights Watch

“The police reported that 46 people were killed during anti-drug operations since Marcos took office on June 30. But this is far below the estimate of the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center, whose Dahas program monitors ‘drug war’ violence. The program tallied that 127 people were killed in ‘drug war’ incidents from July 1, the day after Marcos was sworn in, to November 7. Read full report

16 November 2022

PNP: 46 Killed in Drug War Under Marcos ‘Very Minimal’

Dexter Cabalza, Philippine Daily Inquirer 

“The 46 reported by Azurin and the 57 recorded by Dahas show a sharp drop from the more than 1,600 reported deaths of suspected drug offenders—users and dealers— killed in police operations in less than four months since Mr. Marcos’ predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, took office on June 30, 2016.” Read full report. 

14 November 2022

PNP chief: 46 killed in ‘war on drugs’ operations under Marcos

Franco Luna, Philstar

“The number of deaths acknowledged by the PNP is much lower than that monitored by Dahas PH, a running count of reported drug-related killings by the Third World Studies Center at the University of the Philippines, which documented 127 drug suspects killed between July 1 and November 7. Read full report

19 October 2022

War on drugs continues in Marcos’s Philippines

Federico Segarra, La Prensa Latina

“The Dahas Project, which has been scrutinizing the drug war since 2017 based on local media reports, admits that in this new stage “there is no way of knowing” if the deaths occur in conditions similar to those of Duterte’s brutal campaign.” Read full report

18 October 2022

Kin of EJK victims hit Remulla son’s ‘special treatment’

Krixia Subingsubing, Inquirer.net

Drug-related killings also occur under the administration of President Marcos, according to Dahas, a program of the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center. It said police and media reports showed more drug-related killings—in which the victim had alleged links to the illicit drug trade — in July, the first month of the Marcos presidency, than in June, the last month of the Duterte administration.

Altogether, 72 drug-related killings were recorded in July and August this year, Dahas said.” Read full report

September 2022

“War on Drugs” Continues Under Marcos (Philippines Country Profile)

Global State of Democracy Initiative 

“Drug-related killings continue to occur regularly under President Bongbong Marcos, says Human Rights Watch in a policy brief to UN member states. According to the monitoring of Dahas, a program affiliated with the University of the Philippines, 72 drug-related killings have been reported since Marcos took office on 30 June.” Read full report. 

28 September 2022

ICC finds no basis on PH govt’s arguments, reiterates probe on drug-related killings

Anne Marxze D. Umil, Bulatlat

“The Third World Studies Center of the University of the Philippines-Diliman claims that the running count on reported drug-related killings in the Philippines continues.” Read full report

25 September 2022

Get drug lords, not small fry, says Marcos

Dona Z. Pazzibugan, Inquirer.net

Data from the independent monitor Dahas PH, whose members are mostly from the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Programme, have shown that Duterte’s drug war consistently targeted small-time pushers, failing in its promise to bring down so-called high-value targets.” Read full report

24 September 2022

HRW disputes PNP’s ”bloodless’ antidrug efforts this month

Dempsey Reyes, Inquirer.net

“Phil Robertson, HRW’s deputy Asia director, stressed that data by the monitoring group Dahas PH, of which most members come from the University of the Philippines Third World Studies Program, showed “inaccuracy” on the ‘zero’ killings as touted by the Philippine National Police.

From the data of Dahas PH’s researchers, there were two deaths recorded this month, while 73 in July and August—the first two months of President Marcos in office.” Read full report

21 September 2022

PNP claims bloodless anti-drug operations in September

Dexter Cabalza, Inquirer.net

“No casualties were reported in all these operations,” he told reporters at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

However, at least two persons were reported killed after shooting it out with the police, based on the monitoring of Dahas, a research project of the Third World Studies Center of the University of the Philippines Diliman and the Department of Conflict and Development Studies of Ghent University in Belgium.” Read full report

19 September 2022

Uccisioni illegali nelle Filippine: necessaria un’indagine delle Nazioni Unite

Dexter Cabalza, Inquirer.net

“In un documento politico presentato agli Stati membri delle Nazioni Unite, la Human Rights Watch ha affermato che le uccisioni extragiudiziali nella “guerra alla droga” del governo filippino si verificano ancora regolarmente. Dahas (un programma del Centro Studi sul Terzo Mondo dell’Università delle Filippine) ha riportato 72 omicidi legati alla droga dopo che il presidente Ferdinand Marcos Jr. è entrato in carica il 30 giugno. I dati ufficiali del governo indicano che la polizia ha ucciso 71 persone dall’agosto 2021, portando a 6.252 il numero totale di omicidi denunciati dalla polizia tra luglio 2016 e maggio 2022. Il presidente Marcos non ha ripudiato gli abusi nella “guerra alla droga”, dichiarando di voler mantenere la linea adottata.” Read full report 

12 September 2022

UN Still Needs to Scrutinize the Philippines

Carlos H. Conde, Inquirer.net, Human Rights Watch

Drug-related killings remain commonplace. Dahas, a program of the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center, found by looking at police and media reports that there were more drug-related killings—in which the victim had alleged links to the illicit drug trade—in July, the first month of the Marcos Jr. presidency, than in June, the last month of the Duterte administration. Altogether, 72 drug-related killings were recorded in July and August.” Read full report. 

12 September 2022


Watchdog Group Urges UN to Scrutinize Philippine Drug-related Killings Under Marcos

Camille Elemia, Benar News 

“Since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office on June 30, 72 drug-related shootings by police have occurred in the Philippines, New York-based HRW said, citing Dahas, a program of the Third World Studies Center of the University of the Philippines that tracks media-reported drug deaths.” Read full report 

12 September 2022

Philippines: Strong UN Human Rights Council Action Needed

Human Rights Watch

“In a policy paper submitted to UN member states, Human Rights Watch said that extrajudicial killings in the Philippine government’s ‘war on drugs’ still occur on a regular basis. Dahas, a program of the Third World Studies Center of the University of the Philippines, has reported 72 drug-related killings after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office on June 30. Official government figures indicate that the police killed 71 people since August 2021, bringing the total number of killings reported by the police between July 2016 and May 2022 to 6,252. President Marcos has not repudiated abuses in the ‘drug war,’ which he said he would continue.” Read full report

31 August 2022

Crime wave?

Manuel L. Quezon III, Inquirer.net

“The UP Third World Studies Center has a Twitter account, @DahasPH, which has been consistently keeping tabs on the killings. Its most recent figures add up as follows: in 2022, there have been 200 drug-related killings, 51 of them since the present administration began (this includes 13 “body dumps”). Reviewing the weekly count, the killings ranged in low single digits except for the week of the President’s first Sona, when 14 were killed, numbers hardly different from Duterte’s last month in office.” Read full report

16 August 2022

Lawmakers, enforcers want ‘community-based’ campaign vs drugs

Franco Luna, Philstar

“However, according to Dahas, a running count of the reported drug-related killings in the Philippines maintained by the Third World Studies Center of the University of the Philippines Diliman, the killings continue to this day, over a month after Duterte stepped down from public office.” Read full report

23 July 2021

Duterte Drug War Has Killed 2 Per Day, Says UP Study

Krixia Subingsubing, Inquirer.net

The police have arbitrary ways of determining drug war deaths, which could obscure the real count,” Ariate pointed out. “It’s important to have a debate about this and make public these data so not all deaths can be simplified into ‘nanlaban’ (resisting arrest) . . . As such, the “Dahas” database—“dahas” is the Filipino word for violence—uses at least 27 criteria to assess each death: information on the victim (age, gender, occupation), incident (time, date, location) and assailants (state agent, nonstate agent, unknown), said Noriega. Read full report