12 Apr 2025

Catholic priest shares insights into ex Philippines president's 'bloody campaign'

1:20 pm on 12 April 2025
Philippines' President Rodrigo Duterte in November during a late-night press conference at Malacanang Palace in Manila, where he criticised Vice-President Leni Robredo - who has led his anti-drug crackdown - for discussing her work with the UN.

Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte. Photo: Ted ALJIBE / AFP

In a shocking and swift turn of events, last month former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the International Criminal Court over his brutal war on drugs.

He was the first Asian former head of state to be indicted by the ICC - and the first suspect to be flown to the Hague in three years.

Duterte rose to presidency in 2016, campaigning on ridding the country of drugs by killing those who used them.

Under his direction, there was a wave of extrajudicial killings with the official death toll standing at about 6000, although rights groups argue the real number of victims was much higher.

Former drug addict turned Catholic priest Father Flaviano Villanueva has long been an outspoken critic of Duterte.

Known as Father Flavie, he runs the AJ Kalinga Foundation, which focuses on providing dignified and holistic care for those struggling with substance abuse.

Teaming up with forensic pathologist Dr Raquel Fortun, they've collected evidence of the extrajudicial killings.

Villanueva told Saturday Morning to begin with, he believed Duterte was all talk.

"I was ignorant of his history, of his carnage.

"The way he delivered, when he was true to his words, it left us with such a bloody reality even on the first day, more so in the coming months."

Villanueva said there was an uproar against the "bloody campaign".

Father Flaviano "Flavie" Villanueva.

Catholic priest Father Flaviano Villanueva, also known as Father Flavie. Photo: Supplied / AJ Kalinga Foundation

Villanueva struggled with substance abuse before becoming a priest for the Catholic church.

"Yes, it did save my life, and it even pointed me in a direction that would also help me help other save their lives.

"My experience with substance abuse I believe helped me to understand and helped me to send a message that addiction is resolved by authentic care, holistic care, because it is a medical and health issue - contradicting the strategies Rodrigo Duterte deployed."

Villanueva said Duterte also silenced any women that criticised him.

"You would see that in the present of Leila de Lima who was incarcerated, you would see that in the present, sister Patricia Fox who got deported, even people who contradicted him like the church, he would not think twice about berating them in public.

"I've had my share of threats from day one to today," he said.

Villanueva has been working with forensic pathologist Dr Raquel Fortun to save and examine victim remains.

"The forensic, the autopsy and the bones the skulls who have experienced how brutally they were killed were finally given a voice.

"The task... to allow the bones to speak on the manner of how they were killed, the trajectory of the bullet, the entry hole of the bullet that targeted major organs, the close range of the gun shot wounds and there are even torture marks that come along with it."

Villanueva said the poor - who could not afford a voice - were targeted.

"The poor who could not afford a voice, who could not afford a lawyer, who would easily succumb to fear because of their none capacity to fight back."

He said the arrest of Duterte was a win of "good over evil", but the search for those who helped him continued.

"There is a great amount of justice that would be served if and when the police men, the lieutenants who helped enforce the killings... would be held accountable," he said.

"The police men liable and responsible for pulling the trigger, and those who have blood on their hands should also be held accountable."

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