The Philippines' war on drugs

Life in Manila's Slums and the Drug War00:00:03

The video opens in Manila's impoverished slums, where residents eke out a living sifting through rubbish. The overwhelming presence of both poverty and drugs is highlighted, alongside the new, terrifying reality since President Duterte came to power: nightly killings.

The Grim Rhythm of Killings00:00:41

Every night, photographers rush to crime scenes. A swift, often perfunctory investigation follows, and then the body is removed. One victim, a man in his 20s known as 'Butbut,' is described. A witness claims six masked men on motorbikes carried out the killing. Nearly 6,000 extrajudicial killings have occurred since July, with a third attributed to police operations and the rest to vigilante death squads.

The Popularity of the Drug War and Those Affected00:01:41

Despite the bloodshed, President Duterte's drug war remains widely popular. The video features a woman who sells and uses meth to support her family, stating it's her only option.

Funeral Businesses Thrive Amidst Tragedy00:02:33

In Quezon City, funeral directors are experiencing a boom in business arranging coffins and burials for drug war victims. Many families, distrusting the police, forego post-mortem investigations. A grieving mother is shown completing paperwork for her 31-year-old son, Jonald, who was shot two weeks prior. Few neighbors pay their respects due to fear of association.

Duterte's Unyielding Stance00:04:26

While opposition to the killings is growing, President Duterte has largely dismissed both domestic and international condemnation. He famously stated he would be happy to see 3 million addicts 'slaughtered,' a remark few in the Philippines take lightly.