The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) opened an investigation on March 25 in the “war on drugs” declared by Sebastian Duterte, son of Rodrigo Duterte and current Davao City mayor. This is after it was reported that five “suspects” were killed within 24 hours, two days after Duterte declared his “war.” Before the five, two were extrajudicially killed by the police.

The younger Duterte declared his intention at a gathering, where he threatened “drug pushers” to “leave” “his city” or he would “kill” them. This threat and the subsequent attacks were a copy of his father’s style.

The CHR condemned the “alarming incidents of extrajudicial killings” linked to the “war on drugs.” This war has been implemented for several decades by the Duterte dynasty in Davao, and throughout the country, during the tenure of Rodrigo Duterte as Philippine president.

The elder Duterte, along with his accomplices, were charged with crimes against humanity due to the widespread and systematic killings which they carried out in the name of the “war on drugs.” Duterte’s son declaration of his “fresh start” in Davao City, mocks and makes little of the crimes committed by his father.

Also, it is not true that young Duterte will “start over” in his “war on drugs.” Even before his copycat threat, Davao City was already leading the number of people killed suspected to be involved in the sale of illegal drugs. In a report by the Dahas Project, Davao City recorded the highest number of drug-related murders since the Marcos regime took office, alongside the assumption of the young Duterte as city mayor. From July 1, 2022 to March 15, 2024, “drug-related killings” in the city reached 97. Police forces bcommitted all of these killings, except one. This constitutes 16% of all “drug-related killings” in the entire country which has reached 582.

The Bayan-Southern Mindanao Region also condemned the killings. “Like father, like son,” said the group.