‘Duterte’s drug war a multibillion-peso racket’

March 19, 2025 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Former president Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war was actually a “multibillion-peso racket,” a senior member of the quad committee of the House of Representatives said yesterday.

House assistant majority leader and Zambales 1st district Rep. Jay Khonghun said Congress is hopeful the International Criminal Court would realize that Duterte’s drug war was exploited to generate billions for those in power during his presidency.

Citing the series of quad comm investigations, Khonghun said its findings have suggested that rather than eradicating narcotics, the campaign increased drug prices, consolidated control over the illegal market and funneled profits into illicit businesses such as Philippine offshore gaming operators.

“To simplify it, why is the war on drugs a grand budol? Because it is not only bloody, it was also a billion-peso business. The small drug pushers were killed, but the big syndicates became stronger. Why? Because they are the ones who controlled the supply. Once they are left alone, they also declare the prices,” Khonghun alleged.

“If what happened is indeed a war against drugs, why is it the big suppliers were not targeted? Why (were) the small players finished off, while the big ones became stronger? Who (benefited) from the high prices of drugs?” he added.

During the quad comm hearing in December 2024, Antipolo 2nd district Rep. Romeo Acop, the committee’s senior vice chairman, had delivered the panel’s initial conclusion that Duterte’s controversial war on drugs allegedly served as a cover for a “grand criminal enterprise” involving high-ranking government officials, systemic corruption and international drug trafficking networks.