A newly formed independent commission in the Philippines has begun public hearings to document the experiences of families affected by the former administration's war on drugs.
For many families in the Philippines, the memories of the intense anti-drug campaign led 2, thousands of individuals lost their lives in operations that sparked international condemnation and internal calls for justice. Among those left behind is Luzviminda Siapo, who lost her teenage son, Raymart, in 2017. Working abroad in Kuwait at the time of the incident, she faced the agonizing reality of her son’s death from thousands of miles away, eventually returning home to find that her son had been killed under circumstances that remain deeply disputed
Raymart’s case, like many others, followed a pattern often cited nter with authorities. Family members frequently report that police claims of self-defense are inconsistent with the evidence found at the scenes. In Raymart’s case, witnesses recounted that he was taken from his home and shot at close range, despite allegations that he was involved in the trade of cannabis. The trauma of these events has left families searching for a platform where their voices can be heard, away from the narratives propagated
The establishment of the Drug War Truth Commission, a civil society-led body, marks a significant development in the pursuit of historical clarity. Launched in May, the commission aims to document the experiences of victims, witnesses, and survivors of the extrajudicial killings. etween official government statistics—which estimate around 6,000 deaths—and the much higher figures suggested
Forensic pathologist Raquel Fortun, who is actively involved in the commission’s work, has been instrumental in examining physical evidence to challenge the official records of these encounters. The commission does not possess the mandate to prosecute individuals; instead, its primary objective is to gather, verify, and preserve information. This repository of truth is designed to be accessible to both domestic institutions and international bodies, including the International Criminal Court, which has been handling the case against the former president since his arrest in 2025.
The commission recently initiated a series of regular public hearings, featuring testimony from families who have spent years seeking recognition of their loss. Luzviminda Siapo was the first to testify, emphasizing that her goal is not necessarily legal retribution, but rather the restoration of the truth regarding those who were killed. She argues that even those accused of illegal activities are entitled to due process, asserting that her son was never involved in the drug trade and that evidence was fabricated
Other families, such as that of Kian delos Santos, have also joined the effort. Kian’s case remains one of the few instances where police officers were held accountable for an extrajudicial killing, largely due to surveillance footage that contradicted the official narrative of self-defense. Despite this conviction, family members like Randy delos Santos maintain that the full scope of the crimes, including the planting of evidence, has yet to be adequately addressed to process their grief and demand that the state acknowledge the human cost of the drug war.
As the hearings continue, the commission faces the immense challenge of documenting a period of history defined is an act of defiance against the erasure of their loved ones. The testimonies provided during these sessions are expected to form a comprehensive record that could prove invaluable for future legal proceedings or historical inquiries.
While the path to justice remains complex and often slow, the existence of the Truth Commission represents a shift in the national discourse. ith the past that was previously suppressed. For parents like Luzviminda and relatives like Randy, the hearings provide a sense of validation, offering a measure of closure that has been denied to them for nearly a decade.