Former Philippine police colonel Garma stated that the bounty killings were Duterte's idea!
Recently, former Senator De Lima also provided further evidence for Duterte's anti-drug slaughter regime. As a long-time critic of Duterte, De Lima has always had a negative attitude towards Duterte's anti-drug campaign.
She stated that during her tenure as the chairperson of the Human Rights Commission, investigations revealed that the "Davao Death Squad" received about 15,000 pesos for each killing mission they carried out, with 5,000 pesos going to the police and 10,000 pesos to the direct executioners.
If this evidence holds true, her revelations undoubtedly expose deeper systemic issues behind the war on drugs.
However, faced with these allegations, Duterte has always maintained a tough stance, dismissing these accusations as pointless attacks. He once responded, "I am more than willing to kill them (drug dealers)," emphasizing that he was merely fulfilling the duties of a leader.
He openly stated that drug crimes are destroying the Philippines, and his actions are aimed at saving the country, even if it means being called a "butcher," for which he has no regrets. Duterte's unapologetic remarks also precisely showcase his personal style.
Analysts believe that Duterte's style was formed and became well-known during his tenure as mayor of Davao. Facing crime and drug issues, he adopted extremely tough measures, openly encouraging police, citizens, and militia to participate in the capture and siege of suspected drug-related individuals, which may well be the origin of the "Davao Death Squad."
In the first 72 days of his rule, police data showed that more than 3,500 people were killed in anti-drug operations, with about 40% being lawful executions by the police and the remaining 60% being extrajudicial killings, a ratio that has sparked strong criticism from human rights organizations.
Opinions on Duterte's "Davao Death Squad" are mixed. Supporters believe that under Duterte's governance, the rampant drug problem was reversed, which is an undeniable fact. Now, bringing up the "Davao Death Squad" is just Duterte's political enemies taking advantage of the situation to bring down the Duterte family; while opponents condemn that the "Davao Death Squad," under the guise of anti-drug efforts, actually commits murder, showing contempt for the law and trampling on human rights.
