The President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.,  , named  , Major General Rommel Francisco Marbil as the country’s new police chief last year. Marbil replaces General Benjamin Acorda Jr., who , retired , at the start of April, just three weeks after his name had been extended by the leader. The nomination has raised hopes of an end to the government’s lethal , war on drugs.  ,
Speaking at his first press conference on Tuesday, Marbil promised a , new view, stating that” there is no need for a medicine war” because it is part of everyday law enforcement, and that authorities does “always follow the rule of rules” when dealing with drug clients and dealers. But the new chief was clear that he wanted a” 100 % drugless community”.
Previous President Rodrigo Duterte’s important policy was the drug war. Between 2016 and 2022, Duterte oversaw dangerous anti- drug operations and vigilant assault that killed thousands of Filipinos, with human rights groups claiming the determine is upward of , 30, 000 people. The former president was unrepentant, using multimedia images to visit for the” murder” of drug users and offering to , pay the constitutional fees , of police officers accused of extrajudicial killings.  ,
Marbil’s thoughts are welcome, especially for the people of those killed. The issue is that previous examples of similar speech exist.
Marcos Jr , promised , a novel, less dangerous method to the drug war when he was elected in 2022. Alternatively of destructive pro- drug operations, authorities may focus on prevention and treatment. This “different approach” was a earth aside from his counterpart’s manner and aimed at minimizing preventable deaths.
These views have been echoed by Marbil’s two successors. In March, Acorda , told the media , that officials wanted to address illegal medication “honestly”. His father Rodolfo Azurin Jr. stated in 2023 , that he wanted” to reduce as much as possible these murders”, referring to the deaths from officers anti- drug operations.
However, the rhetoric does not account for what is happening on the ground, where Filipinos continue to perish during anti-drug operations.  ,
According to the University of the Philippines ‘ , Dahas drug program, 604 people have been killed since Marcos took office. This would equate to almost one Filipino killed each day or 28 each month. In March alone,  , 39 people were killed, making it the second deadliest month under Marcos since July 2022, when 41 people were killed.
Human Rights Watch claims that any attempts at rehabilitation have been coerced into and that there has also been” no evidence” of a change in policy by the government. The organization has also accused the authorities of undercounting drug-related killings, with PNP figures falling far below Dahas’s conclusions.
Marcos has stood in the way of an ongoing investigation into the drug war by the International Criminal Court,  , claiming , the court has no jurisdiction over the Philippines. Last July, the president told the media that” we will not cooperate with them in any way, shape or form” after the court ruled against an , attempt by his government , to halt the investigation. This suggests that Marcos has no desire to hold accountable for drug-related deaths under both Duterte’s and his own administration.
Making matters worse, Duterte’s son Sebastian, the mayor of Davao City,  , declared , a new “war on drugs” last month, telling drug users: “iI you do n’t stop, if you do n’t leave, I will kill you”. After the announcement, drug-related killings increased, with Human Rights Watch reporting that five people were killed by police within 24 hours for drug-related offenses. But killings in Davao are not new, with , 96 people killed , in drug- related incidents between July 2022 and March 2024.
The authorities have made efforts to combat illicit drugs and prosecute extrajudicial killings at the same time. In March, seven police officers were , relieved from their posts , in connection with the shooting deaths of drug suspects in Davao City. Since Marcos was established, the police force has also made an effort to weed out officers involved in the drug trade, with 108 officers being fired for using or dealing illegal drugs.  ,
These measures are welcome, but they have not stopped the killing of Filipinos in anti- drug operations. There is undoubtedly more that needs to be done, and the police and the government must exchange words for deeds.  ,
This means putting an end to lethal anti-drug operations, which have resulted in thousands of fatalities and have been shown to target only low-level dealers and drug users, not the main sources of supply. Government officials admitted as much in 2020, when then- Vice President Leni Robredo , said , the war on drugs was a “massive failure” after it had been revealed that only 1 % of the methamphetamine in the Philippines had been seized in three years.  ,
The authorities should replace anti-drug operations with legitimate prevention and rehabilitation strategies. This can include education programs, non- coercive rehabilitation facilities and non- punitive police strategies, such as fines, rather than targeting and killing drug users and dealers.
Additionally, the government needs to change its position regarding the ongoing ICC investigation. To ensure justice for victims and their families, the police and government should work with the court in full cooperation with the police force instead of a steadfast resistance. Additionally, it would demonstrate Marcos and Marbil’s commitment to accountability.
Illicit drugs are undeniably a problem in the Philippines and reducing the harm they cause is unsurprisingly , popular with Filipinos. But Marcos came to power promising a new approach, one that saves – not takes – lives.
It is time for Marcos to walk the talk after almost two years in office. Rommel Marbil’s appointment may indicate that this is finally taking place. More Filipinos will be killed needlessly, however, unless legitimate efforts are made to stop killings and concentrate on preventing them.