SEVERAL families and relatives of alleged human rights victims have voiced strong concerns after their loved ones were posthumously featured in rallies organized by the opposition and anti-Duterte groups.
During these rallies, these individuals were depicted as “real” victims of human rights abuses during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs. However, netizens quickly uncovered that their cases were unrelated to the extrajudicial killings (EJK), casting doubt on the accuracy of the claims.
Earlier this week, families of these individuals took to social media, urging human rights advocates and anti-Duterte protesters to verify their claims and remove images of their deceased relatives at their events.
This sparked further debate about the opposition's narrative and fueled discussions about the accountability surrounding Duterte’s alleged crimes against humanity.
Among the individuals highlighted by various human rights groups, including the Health Alliance for Democracy (Head), was Dr. Dreyfuss Perlas, a doctor who was murdered in Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte, in March 2017. The groups claimed that his death was tied to Duterte’s war on drugs.
However, the Lanao del Norte provincial police had already clarified in 2022 that Perlas, known as a "barrio doctor," was killed over a work-related dispute driven by jealousy.
Also included was the death of prominent doctor Rey Andutan in Cagayan de Oro in 2021, which these groups claimed was connected to the “culture of impunity” fostered by Duterte's administration.
However, Dr. Lox Andutan, the victim's son, refuted these claims, clarifying that his father’s murder was the result of greed and jealousy, and the suspects responsible are now imprisoned for the crime.
“Just to be clear, he was murdered by people who are ROTTING IN JAIL right now,” Dr. Lox Andutan said in a statement. “He was murdered because of greed, jealousy, and reasons that our family could never understand and accept. It had NOTHING to do with drugs, EJK, or former president Digong. Keep his picture out of your selfish agendas! He was and forever will be a respected urologist by his family, colleagues, and patients.”
But Head maintained that these doctors were killed due to the prevailing culture of impunity under Duterte's orders, which encouraged violence and a lack of regard for life. According to the group, their deaths were not directly related to EJKs associated with the drug war but were instead linked to other issues, including corruption and red-tagging.
“Since 2017, Head has launched a campaign seeking justice for doctors killed as a result of the culture of impunity which worsened during Duterte’s rule. We continue to call for justice and accountability, especially as most of the killings remain unsolved,” the organization stated.
Additionally, during a protest organized by anti-Duterte groups in The Hague, Netherlands, an image of Aldrin Tangonan, a student slain in 2020, was included in the demonstration. Tangonan’s sister took to Facebook to clarify that her brother’s death had nothing to do with the drug war.
“Grabe na gyud ni. Gusto lang gyud nako i-clarify nga ang akong manghud na si Aldrin M. Tangonan nga namatay last 2020, dili gyud na siya biktima sa WAR ON DRUGS. He was killed by a CRIMINAL OUT OF JEALOUSY. Wala siyay labot sa bisan unsang drug related operations,” she clarified.
Another post on mainstream media depicted a mother holding an image of her deceased child, who was said to have been killed during Duterte’s administration. However, netizens discovered that the image was from a funeral service in 2024, and the death occurred under the current administration. The funeral service then clarified that the image belonged to one of their clients from 2024.
Meanwhile, an image of a Cebuano-based content creator, Al Moralde, was used by a group of human rights advocates alongside those of alleged victims of Duterte.
Moralde immediately expressed his concerns on his Facebook page, saying: “Mao ni ang pinaka-fake news kay ako na jud ang gihimong patay” (This is the most fake news because they made me dead), the vlogger said, while recreating his old picture that was placed inside a picture frame.
In a separate event, a prayer vigil and candle-lighting ceremony held by political organizations at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) featured an image of Horacio “Atio” Castillo III, a UST law student who died in 2017 due to a hazing incident involving the Aegis Juris Fraternity.
In the wake of public outrage, UST Central Student Council Public Relations Officer Annie Agon emphasized that the vigil held on March 14 at the Arch of the Centuries was not exclusively for victims of extrajudicial killings during Duterte's war on drugs.
“These human rights abuses are symptoms of the same problem,” Agon said, noting that the “culture of impunity” worsened under Duterte’s regime.
“This is why the Thomasians call for a broader scope of justice; we recognize that these injustices are distinct but not separated, and that real change requires addressing the system that allows them to persist,” Agon maintained.
Now, the veracity of these claims has since been questioned, especially following Duterte’s first hearing at the ICC on March 14.
In its arrest warrant, the ICC stated that there were “reasonable grounds to believe” that at least 19 individuals were murdered in Davao by members of the “Davao Death Squad,” led by Duterte, and at least 24 more were killed by Philippine police.
Human rights groups have claimed that the death toll exceeds 30,000, with many children among the victims.
On March 11, Philippine authorities arrested Duterte in Manila, acting on an arrest warrant issued by the ICC and transmitted via the International Police Criminal Organization (Interpol). The ICC sought his arrest allegedly on crimes against humanity charges related to alleged extrajudicial killings between 2011 and 2019.
“This arrest and transfer to The Hague is a long-awaited victory against impunity, bringing victims closer to justice,” said Bryony Lau, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “It sends a clear message that human rights abusers can and will be held accountable.”