Seeking Justice: Families of Philippines Drug War Victims Testify Before Truth Commission

Luzviminda Siapo was chatting with her teenage son, Raymart, just hours before receiving devastating news of his death. Raymart was found dead in a semi-abandoned part of their Manila neighbourhood in March 2017, covered in blood, with a gun and a packet of methamphetamine nearby, during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial anti-illegal drugs campaign.

Working in Kuwait at the time under a restrictive contract, Luzviminda begged her employer to let her return home, even kissing her boss's feet to secure her release. Upon arriving in the Philippines, she discovered that a neighbour had accused Raymart of dealing cannabis, and witnesses reported that 14 masked men had taken him before he was shot dead.

Raquel Fortun, a forensic pathologist at the University of the Philippines, confirmed that Raymart was shot at close range. She has been examining the teenager’s remains as part of the Drug War Truth Commission, an independent civil society body launched in May to investigate extrajudicial killings linked to Duterte’s campaign.

While the government reports approximately 6,000 deaths, rights groups estimate the toll is between 20,000 and 30,000. Former President Rodrigo Duterte, who held power between 2016 and 2022, was arrested and sent to the International Criminal Court in March 2025, where he is currently detained at the Hague facing trial for crimes against humanity.

The Truth Commission recently began public hearings featuring testimony from victims' families, witnesses, and survivors. Luzviminda, who was the first to take the stand, stated she is not seeking to prosecute anyone but simply wants to share her story and highlight that innocent lives were lost without due process. Fortun noted that while the commission lacks prosecution powers, it gathers crucial information that courts in the Philippines or abroad can access.

Other families, including Randy delos Santos, also attended the hearings. Randy's 17-year-old nephew, Kian delos Santos, was killed by police in 2017 in a rare case where officers were convicted of murder after security camera footage contradicted their claims of self-defence. Despite this partial accountability, Randy argues that additional charges, such as planting evidence, should have been applied.

For families like Luzviminda and Randy, the Truth Commission provides a vital platform to ask enduring questions and find a measure of closure by finally being heard.