Rodrigo Duterte’s presidency from 2016 to 2022 launched the Philippines into political turmoil and democratic backsliding, taking similar actions to the authoritarian ruler Ferdinand Marcos. Duterte’s presidency was defined by aggressive attacks on the media and the “war on drugs” campaign that led to the deaths of 30,000 individuals, who were accused of drug-related crimes. His presidency marked a shift toward authoritarian practices, with democratic institutions weakening under violence and suppression.
During his “War on Drugs” campaign, Duterte took extreme measures to prevent drugs be spreading throughout the country. He allowed police officers to falsify evidence and continued to allow them to commit mass murders for his campaign. Among the victims were dozens of children under the age of 18, while others were killed as “collateral damage” during anti-drug raids. Most of the cases that were filed against the police force were dismissed, either due to a lack of evidence or, because the authorities knew they were unlikely to face any real punishment. Only the court cases that had videos of the drug raids were able to succeed in court. I see this as an intimidation factor towards the citizens of the Philippines because of the fear it creates in society. This fear has allowed Duterte to take over other branches, like the legislative branch, to pursue his goals. The “War on Drugs” Campaign was one the biggest reasons for democratic backsliding, It was a decision led by the president, and disregarded the feelings of the people.
Another tool that President Duterte used to solidify his control of democracy was by threatening the media. In 2016, when he began his mass purge of drug users, many media organizations made publications of the deaths. In response to his actions being exposed to citizens, he began threatening these news outlets. Some reporters were charged and arrested while others were verbally threatened. One Journalist who served to bring awareness to the killings is Filipina Journalist Maria Ressa who has been arrested twice and threatened by the police. Because of her news companies’ reportings, Rappler, Duertes himself has threatened these journalists saying “Just because you’re a journalist, you think you’re exempted from assassination?” His attempts at suppressing the media have been partially successful, which has resulted in democracy in the Philippines being further eroded.
With the new Election of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in 2022, Citizens hope the Philippines will see a shift toward more democratic leadership compared to the previous ruler Rodrigo Duterte who took an authoritarian style of government. While Marcos Jr.’s presidency has not finished, he has returned to conventional and democratic political practices. His approach has focused on restoring political stability, but he still faces challenges from Duterte’s “War on Drugs” and the lingering issues of corruption in the police force. Although he has taken a step forward to restore democracy, it will take a long time to reverse the erosion caused by Rodrigo Dueterte.
https://www.journalofdemocracy.org/online-exclusive/the-son-also-rises/
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