The Philippine government said it would look into alleged drug-related killings during the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. if evidence is presented, emphasizing that the President is committed to a “bloodless” drug war and accountability for any abuses. Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a briefing that Marcos does not want extrajudicial killings to taint his administration. “If there are pieces of evidence that can be submitted, then that’s the right time to investigate this matter,” she said. The statement came after attorney Nicholas Kaufman, former President Rodrigo Duterte’s lawyer at the International Criminal Court, questioned why Marcos was not being investigated for alleged vigilante killings that reportedly continued after Duterte stepped down. Kaufman cited a report from the University of the Philippines Dahas Project, which showed that 160 of 342 killings during Marcos’ first year were allegedly committed by state agents, rising to 362 killings from July 2023 to June 2024, with state actors responsible for 34 percent. In response, Castro questioned why Kaufman was focusing on Marcos when his client is Duterte. “Is that an admission that there were indeed killings during the time of former President Duterte?” she said. Castro also clarified that the government would not discuss Duterte’s interim release with Kaufman should he visit the Philippines, though she welcomed him to see the country. “First of all, I am not inviting him… But I will not discuss about the interim release because it has already been dissolved by the ICC,” she said. Duterte is facing a confirmation of charges hearing at the ICC in The Hague, Netherlands for alleged crimes against humanity linked to his administration’s drug war. “The President does not want this administration to be tainted by bloody extrajudicial killings because that is not his legacy,” Castro said. Pressed on whether a motu proprio investigation would be launched, Castro said that investigative bodies such as the PNP, CIDG, and NBI should be provided with verified information and evidence to act on the matter. “The President does not have to issue an order,” she said.
