Rodrigo Duterte: Philippines funeral turns into protest against the President's war on drugs

More than 1,000 people have attended a funeral procession for a teenager slain by police in the Philippines last week, turning the march into one of the biggest protests yet against President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs.

The death of Kian Loyd delos Santos drew widespread attention to allegations that police have been systematically executing suspected users and dealers, a charge authorities deny.

He was dragged by plain-clothes policemen to a dark, trash-filled alley in northern Manila, before being shot in the head and left next to a pigsty, according to witnesses whose accounts appeared to be backed up by CCTV footage.

Police said they acted in self defence after Mr delos Santos opened fire on them.

Nuns, priests and hundreds of children joined the funeral procession as it made its way from a church to the cemetery where the 17-year-old was buried.

Mr delos Santos' father spoke briefly during a mass to defend his son's innocence and express his anger at the police.

"There's a lot of churches, they should go there."

The parents and lawyers of Mr delos Santos filed a murder complaint against the three anti-narcotics policemen involved in the incident on Friday.

If accepted, the complaint would follow at least two cases filed last year against police over Mr Duterte's war on drugs, which has killed thousands of Filipinos, outraged human rights groups and alarmed Western governments.

Mr delos Santos' flower-draped coffin passed through a major highway on a small truck decorated with tarpaulins reading "Run, Kian, Run" and "Stop the killings" displayed on each side.

"This is a sign that the people have had enough and are indignant over the impunity that prevails today," Renato Reyes, secretary general of left-wing activist group Bayan, said in a statement.

Mourners, some of them wearing white shirts, held flowers and small flags, and placards denouncing the killing.

A member of Rise Up, a Manila-based coalition of church-related groups opposing the drug war, told Reuters the families of about 20 victims joined the procession.

"I came to support the family. I want justice for Kian and all victims — including my son," said Katherine David, whose 21-year-old son was shot dead by police with two other men in January.

Department of Justice personnel armed with assault rifles were on guard during the procession and outside the church.

Most people in the Philippines support the anti-drug campaign, and Mr Duterte remains a popular leader, but questions are being asked since the death of Mr delos Santos, which came during a spike in killings across the Philippines' main island, Luzon.

The President's communication office reiterated he would not tolerate wrongdoing by law enforcers and called on the public to "trust the justice system under the Duterte presidency".

But bereaved mother Ms David believes the response to Mr delos Santos' killing marks a turning point in opposition to the drug war.

"There's been a big change. Before, police could kill and nobody paid attention. Now people are starting to show support and sympathy," she said. </s> related media assets (image or videos) available. Click to see the gallery.

2 related media assets (image or videos) available. Click to see the gallery.

More than a thousand mourners attended a funeral procession in the Philippines capital Manila on Saturday for a high school student, whose killing last week by anti-drugs officers has caused rare public outrage about the country's war on drugs.

MANILA: More than a thousand mourners attended a funeral procession in the Philippines capital Manila on Saturday for a high school student, whose killing last week by anti-drugs officers has caused rare public outrage about the country's war on drugs.

Kian Loyd delos Santos was dragged by plain-clothes policemen to a dark, trash-filled alley in northern Manila, before he was shot in the head and left next to a pigsty, according to witnesses whose accounts appeared to be backed up by CCTV footage.

The death of the 17-year old has drawn huge domestic attention to allegations by activists that police have been systematically executing suspected users and dealers, a charge the authorities deny.

"I came to support the family. I want justice for Kian and all victims - including my son," Katherine David, 35, whose 21-year old son was shot dead by police with two other men in January.

Mourners, some of them wearing white shirts displaying the words "Justice for Kian," held flowers and small flags, and placards denouncing the killing, as the procession including vans and motorbikes moved out of delos Santos' home in Caloocan city.

Delos Santos' flower-draped coffin passed slowly through narrow streets on a flat-bed truck with two black and red coloured tarpaulins containing the words "Run, Kian, Run" and "Stop the killings" displayed on each side.

The cortege made a brief stop in front of police precinct where three police officers involved in the killing of Delos Santos were assigned before proceeding to the church.

The parents and lawyers of delos Santos filed a murder complaint against the three anti-narcotics policemen on Friday.

If accepted, the complaint would follow at least two cases filed last year against police over President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs, which has killed thousands of Filipinos, outraged human rights groups and alarmed Western governments.

"We march today to bring Kian to his final resting place and to support the call for justice for all victims of Duterte’s fascist drug war," said Renato Reyes, secretary general of left-wing activist group Bayan (Nation), said in a statement.

"We call for accountability of the police officers directly involved in the killings as well as accountability of the commander-in-chief who sanctioned the killings," Reyes said.

A member of Rise Up, a Manila-based coalition of church-related groups opposing the drug war, told Reuters that families of about 20 victims joined the procession.

David believes the response to Kian's killing marks a turning point in opposite to the drug war.

"There's been a big change. Before, police could kill and nobody paid attention. Now people are starting to show support and sympathy," she said. </s> Mourners call for justice after 17-year-old was killed by police during bloodiest week of President Duterte's drug war.

More than 1,000 mourners attended a funeral procession in Manila for a high school student, whose killing last week by anti-drugs officers has caused rare public outrage over the country's war on drugs.

Crowds chanted for "justice" on Saturday in the Philippine capital in what became one of the biggest protests in the country against President Rodrigo Duterte's anti-drug drive.

Kian Loyd Delos Santos was dragged by plain-clothes policemen to a dark alley in northern Manila, before he was shot in the head and left next to a pigsty, according to witnesses whose accounts appeared to be backed up by CCTV footage.

The death of the 17-year-old has drawn domestic attention to allegations by activists that police have been systematically executing suspected users and dealers, a charge the authorities deny.

"I came to support the family. I want justice for Kian and all victims - including my son," Katherine David, 35, whose 21-year-old son was shot dead by police with two other men in January.

READ MORE: Thousands demand end to killings in Duterte's drug war

Mourners carried placards reading, "Stop the killings," "Police, murderers" and "Justice for Kian" as they marched for about five kilometres from a church near Delos Santos' house to the cemetery where he was buried.

The parents and lawyers of Delos Santos filed a murder complaint against the three anti-narcotics policemen on Friday.

"Kian was a very good son," Saldy Delos Santos said in a message at the last mass for his son. "The entire community knew him as a good person ... He was begging for his life..They [the killers] probably have no heart."

Richard Heydarian, political science professor from Manila's De La Salle University, said public anger had exploded because of Delos Santos' young age.

"This is a second coming of Duterte's war on drugs and what happened this time is not about the killing of a likely innocent person, but we're talking about the minor who was killed, and the killing of the minor was caught on CCTV," he told Al Jazeera. "That is why you see a huge backlash against the war on drugs."

Public support for the anti-drugs drive had until recently been strong.

"The number one concern for people here is not against Duterte himself, but they feel like he is relying on the wrong agent, which is the national police of Philippines to wage this war," said Heydarian.

"You cannot wage a holy war with unholy men, so what people want here is to clean up the police force and to make sure that within the police forces there is accountability and discipline."

Reporting from Manila, Al Jazeera's Jamela Alindogan said that there might be a chance that this case, out of the more than 10,000 drug-related killings, would be solved.

"It remains to be seen whether this will change the approach of the president when it comes to his so-called war on drugs," she said, "or if it even will lead to reform within the police institution in this country."

"We march today to bring Kian to his final resting place and to support the call for justice for all victims of Duterte's fascist drug war," said Renato Reyes, secretary-general of left-wing activist group Bayan (Nation), said in a statement.

Bayan criticised the campaign for corrupting the police force "through a system of quotas and financial rewards for police officers".

"We call for accountability of the police officers directly involved in the killings as well as accountability of the commander-in-chief who sanctioned the killings," Reyes said.

Delos Santos was among more than 90 people killed in the bloodiest week in Duterte's anti-drug war since he took office on June 30, 2016.

The case has highlighted the allegations of abuse by police in the anti-drug war, in which at least 3,500 people have been killed over the last year.

Duterte has assured the public that police officers involved in Delos Santos' death would go to jail if found guilty.

"If it was really a rub out, they (police officers) have to answer for it. They have to go to jail. I'm sorry," he said.

Duterte has vowed in the past to protect the police against legal cases filed against them. </s> MANILA (Reuters) - Mourners at the funeral of a Philippine man who police shot dead protested his innocence on Sunday, the latest sign of rising anger over President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody campaign to stamp out drugs.

Elvira Miranda, 69, mother of Leover Miranda, 39, a drug-related killings victim, cries in front of the tomb during a funeral march at the north cemetery in metro Manila, Philippines August 20, 2017. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco

More than 12,500 people, many small-time drug users and dealers, have been killed since Duterte took office in June 2016. Police say about 3,500 of those killed were shot by officers in self-defense.

Human rights monitors believe many of the remaining two thirds were killed by assassins operating with police backing or by police disguised as vigilantes - a charge the police deny.

On Sunday, dozens of mourners wearing with white T-shirts with the slogan “Kill drugs, not people”, bore the coffin of Leover Miranda to his grave in a Manila cemetery.

Miranda was killed this month in what police said was a drug sting operation but relatives say he was innocent.

“I want justice for my son,” Elvira Miranda, 69, told Reuters.

“I have no powerful friends, I do not know what to do, but I want the people behind this senseless killing punished.”

Most people in the Philippines support the anti-drug campaign and Duterte remains a popular leader but questions have begun to be asked about the slaughter, with more than 90 people killed in a new surge of shootings in recent days.

The country’s two most influential Catholic bishops on Sunday spoke against the latest deaths, asking the faithful to pray for the victims.

“We knock on the consciences of those who kill even the helpless, especially those who cover their faces ... to stop wasting human lives,” said Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, archbishop of Manila.

Another senior cleric, Archbishop Socrates Villegas, called for churches to ring their bells every evening at 8 p.m., to stir the consciences of the authorities.

“You shall not kill. That is a sin. That is against the law,” he said in a statement.

Public anger rose last week when police killed a 17 year-old high-school student.

Television channels aired CCTV footage that showed Kian Loyd Delos Santos being carried by two men to a place where his body was later found, raising doubt about an official report that said he was shot because he fired at police.

Slideshow (3 Images)

Some civil society groups and left-wing activists have called for protests increasing anger with the police was evident in social media posts.

Metro Manila police chief Oscar Albayalde said he has suspended the police chief in Caloocan City, where the boy was killed, pending an investigation. Three officers involved in the operation were earlier relieved of duties.

The justice department has also begun an investigation while senators will also summon police this week to explain the sudden rise in killings. </s> Roman Catholic Archbishop Socrates Villegas, center, of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, leads thousands of Roman Catholics in a “Walk for Life” march around Manila’s Rizal Park to oppose the revival of the death penalty by the Philippine Congress as well as the killings of drug users and drug pushers in the so-called war on drugs by President Rodrigo Duterte at dawn Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017 in Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo) Roman Catholic Archbishop Socrates Villegas, center, of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, leads thousands of Roman Catholics in a “Walk for Life” march around Manila’s Rizal Park to oppose the revival of the death penalty by the Philippine Congress as well as the killings of drug users and drug pushers in the so-called war on drugs by President Rodrigo Duterte at dawn Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017 in Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo)

Thousands of Roman Catholics marched through the Philippines capital Manila on Saturday in the biggest gathering denouncing extra-judicial killings and a government plan to reimpose the death penalty for criminals. Dubbed a “Walk for Life” prayer rally and endorsed by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), the gathering came just days after the church launched its strongest attack against President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.

Watch What Else Is Making News

Organisers claimed as many as 50,000 people took part in the march toward Manila’s Rizal Park, while about 10,000 based on police estimates stayed to hear speeches. More than 7,600 people have been killed since Duterte launched his anti-drugs campaign seven months ago. More than 2,500 died in shootouts during raids and sting operations, according to the police. Both the government and police have denied that extrajudicial killings have taken place. But human rights groups believe many deaths that police had attributed to vigilantes were carried out by assassins likely colluding with police.

“We cannot teach that killing is wrong by killing those who kill. It also increases the number of killers,” CBCP president Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said in a statement.

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, who also joined the rally, called for strengthening and promoting the culture of non-violent movements. In its most strongly worded attack on the crackdown on drug pushers and users, a CBCP pastoral letter read out at services across the country early this month said killing people was not the answer to trafficking of illegal drugs.

Nearly 80 per cent of the Philippines’ 100 million people are Catholic and until recently the church had been hesitant to criticise Duterte’s war on drugs. Senator Leila de Lima, a staunch critic of Duterte’s war on drugs now facing three drug-related charges, also joined the rally. She said the charges were meant to silence her. “There’s no other reason because I’m innocent and not at all involved in the drug trade,” she said. “I’m here with the people because of our shared thoughts and opinion, and shared views, and shared convictions.”

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for reaction about Saturday’s rally. </s> Tens of thousands of Roman Catholics took to the streets in the Philippines capital Manila on Saturday (18 February), disapproving President Rodrigo Duterte government's plans to reintroduce the death penalty for criminals.

The prayer rally, dubbed a 'Walk for Life', is endorsed by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). Just days earlier, the church strongly condemned Duterte's bloody campaign against illegal drugs.

The organisers said as many as 50,000 people took part in the demonstration, while police estimated that about 10,000 stayed on the streets to hear speeches.

Senator Leila de Lima, who has voiced her strong criticism of Duterte's war on drugs, also took part in the rally. She is facing three drug-related charges against her, which she said were meant to silence her.

"There's no other reason because I'm innocent and not at all involved in the drug trade. I'm here with the people because of our shared thoughts and opinion, and shared views, and shared convictions," she said.

As Duterte's anti-drug campaign became tougher, killing more than 7,600 people since its launch mid last year, the CBCP launched a strongly worded attack on the crackdown earlier this month. It said killing people was not the solution to trafficking of illegal drugs.

The CBCP pastoral letters were reportedly read out at services across the country.

"We cannot teach that killing is wrong by killing those who kill. It also increases the number of killers," Reuters cited CBCP president Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas as saying.

Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle also joined the rally in Manila as he called for strengthening and urged that the country promote the culture of non-violent movements.

It is thought to be the first time that the church has openly criticised Duterte and his campaign. Out of the 100 million population in the Philippines, nearly 80% are thought to be Catholics.

The presidential palace is yet to comment about the rally.

In the widely-criticised and condemned crackdown on drug pushers and users, more than 2,500 people also died in shootouts during raids and sting operations.

However, both the government and armed forces have denied allegations that extrajudicial killings have taken place. Whereas, the human rights groups claim that many deaths that police had attributed to vigilantes were actually carried out assassins, who allegedly colluded with police. </s> Thousands of Roman Catholics marched in the Philippines capital Manila on Saturday in the biggest gathering denouncing extra-judicial killings and a government plan to re-impose the death penalty for criminals.

Dubbed a “Walk for Life” prayer rally and endorsed by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), the gathering came just days after the church launched its strongest attack against President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.

Organizers claimed as many as 50,000 people took part in the march toward Manila’s Rizal Park, while about 10,000 based on police estimates stayed to hear speeches.

More than 7,600 people have been killed since Duterte launched his anti-drugs campaign seven months ago. More than 2,500 died in shootouts during raids and sting operations, according to the police.

Amid mounting criticism about a surge in killings, Duterte said Saturday that the campaign was “by and large successful.”

Speaking at the Philippine Military Academy’s alumni homecoming in Baguio City, he said the drug problem was more complex than he initially thought, prompting him to seek military support.

“I need the help of each one, especially the military, not for social control but protection (for) the citizens from the lawless, the reckless, and the selfish,” the firebrand leader said.

Both the government and police have denied that extra-judicial killings have taken place. But human rights groups believe many deaths that police had attributed to vigilantes were carried out by assassins likely colluding with police.

“We cannot teach that killing is wrong by killing those who kill. It also increases the number of killers,” CBCP president Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said in a statement.

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, who also joined the rally, called for strengthening and promoting the culture of nonviolent movements.

In its most strongly worded attack on the crackdown on drug pushers and users, a CBCP pastoral letter read out at services across the country early this month said killing people was not the answer to trafficking of illegal drugs.

Nearly 80 percent of the Philippines’ 100 million people are Catholic and until recently the church had been hesitant to criticize Duterte’s war on drugs.

Senator Leila de Lima, a staunch critic of Duterte’s war on drugs now facing three drug-related charges, also joined the rally. She said the charges were meant to silence her. </s> A four-year-old girl hugging her father on the back of a motorcycle while being taken to buy popcorn is among the latest victims of Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte's shoot-on-sight crackdown on drug pushers in the Philippines that has left 2400 people dead since July 1.

Althea Barbon was shot by police in Guihulngan City on Negros Island.

Duterte, 71, swept into office after the country's May elections promising a violent end to the nation's drug epidemic and often calls his critics "sons of bitches" or "sons of whores".

Police said Althea's death was "collateral" damage in Duterte's war on drugs, which has been condemned by the US, the United Nations, the Catholic Church and many civil society organisations in the Philippines.

READ MORE:

 * Girl, 5, latest victim in the Philippines' 'war on drugs'

 * Police in the Philippines get bounties for killing criminals

 * Rodrigo Duterte to work 'from 1pm to midnight every day'

 * Rise of Duterte stirs up uncertainty in the South China Sea



 Althea's father, Pim Alrick Barbon, had been put on a list of drug suspects and was carrying a gun and drugs when he took Althea shopping, said police.

"We regret a lot that a child was killed when she was not the target," said Denila Katalbas, the police chief in Guihulngan City.

"Had we seen the child we would not have pushed through with the operation. We would have cancelled. We policemen are humans, we are not animals," he added.

Althea's death came only days after a five-year-old girl was shot dead by unidentified gunmen who attacked a home in Dagupan City, north of Manila.

The bullet in that case was meant for her grandfather, who has also been put on a drug suspect list. </s> MANILA, Philippines (AP) - Thousands of Catholics have joined a march with church leaders in Manila in one of the largest shows of opposition to President Rodrigo Duterte's deadly crackdown against illegal drugs and attempts to revive the death penalty.

Police say about 10,000 people joined the "Walk for Life" march and rally Saturday starting at dawn at the Rizal Park, carrying placards that read "Choose life" and "No to death penalty." Organizers gave a larger estimate of the crowd.

It's the latest sign of the dominant Roman Catholic Church's increasing activism against a government crackdown that has left thousands of drug suspects dead and efforts by pro-Duterte legislators to re-impose capital punishment as early as next month. Duterte has been antagonistic to the influential church, once calling it "the most hypocritical institution."

Thousands of Roman Catholics sing religious songs following a "Walk for Life" march around Manila's Rizal Park to oppose the revival of the death penalty by the Philippine Congress as well as the killings of drug users and drug pushers in the so-called war on drugs by President Rodrigo Duterte at dawn Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017 in Manila, Philippines. The Catholic Church expressed alarm over the killings of more than 7,000 people so far since President Duterte assumed office June 30 of last year. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

A person holds a rosary during the "Walk for Life" march around Manila's Rizal Park to oppose the revival of the death penalty by the Philippine Congress as well as the killings of drug users and drug pushers in the so-called war on drugs by President Rodrigo Duterte at dawn Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017 in Manila, Philippines. The Catholic Church expressed alarm over the killings of more than 7,000 people so far since President Duterte assumed office June 30 of last year. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Thousands of Roman Catholics carry placards in a "Walk for Life" march around Manila's Rizal Park to oppose the revival of the death penalty by the Philippine Congress as well as the killings of drug users and drug pushers in the so-called war on drugs by President Rodrigo Duterte at dawn Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017 in Manila, Philippines. The Catholic Church expressed alarm over the killings of more than 7,000 people so far since President Duterte assumed office June 30 of last year.

Thousands of Roman Catholics carry placards in a "Walk for Life" march around Manila's Rizal Park to oppose the revival of the death penalty by the Philippine Congress as well as the killings of drug users and drug pushers in the so-called war on drugs by President Rodrigo Duterte at dawn Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017 in Manila, Philippines. The Catholic Church expressed alarm over the killings of more than 7,000 people so far since President Duterte assumed office June 30 of last year. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Thousands of Roman Catholics carry placards in a "Walk for Life" march around Manila's Rizal Park to oppose the revival of the death penalty by the Philippine Congress as well as the killings of drug users and drug pushers in the so-called war on drugs by President Rodrigo Duterte at dawn Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017 in Manila, Philippines. The Catholic Church expressed alarm over the killings of more than 7,000 people so far since President Duterte assumed office June 30 of last year. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Thousands of Roman Catholics carry placards in a "Walk for Life" march around Manila's Rizal Park to oppose the revival of the death penalty by the Philippine Congress as well as the killings of drug users and drug pushers in the so-called war on drugs by President Rodrigo Duterte at dawn Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017 in Manila, Philippines. The Catholic Church expressed alarm over the killings of more than 7,000 people so far since President Duterte assumed office June 30 of last year. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Thousands of Roman Catholics march around Manila's Rizal Park to oppose the revival of the death penalty by the Philippine Congress as well as the killings of drug users and drug pushers in the so-called war on drugs by President Rodrigo Duterte at dawn Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017 in Manila, Philippines. The Catholic Church expressed alarm over the killings of more than 7,000 people so far since President Duterte assumed office June 30 of last year. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
Hundreds of sympathizers attend the funeral procession of a teenager killed allegedly due to the ongoing drug purge in the Philippines.