Philippine authorities are arbitrarily detaining thousands of people against their will in so-called “drug treatment and rehabilitation centres”, Amnesty International said today in a new report on the country’s ongoing “war”. He was imprisoned there and subjected to a series of human rights violations.
Submissions and Surrenders: The Dangers of Arbitrary Drug Detention in the Philippines Documenting how drug addicts are sent to government-run facilities where they are forced to undergo programs for which there is no evidence. People in “drug rehab” are punished for taking drugs and forced to abstain from alcohol, forced to undergo mandatory drug testing that violates their right to privacy, and receive severe penalties for violating the rules, including weeks or months. of isolation.
“Rehabilitation centers masquerade as facilities providing treatment and rehabilitation. In fact, they are places of arbitrary detention where people suffer serious human rights violations that continue even after release,” said Jerrie Abella, Amnesty International Philippines Campaigner .
The report comes amid renewed scrutiny of violations committed by former President Rodrigo Duterte in his “war on drugs”.
“While lawmakers are right to examine the role of President Duterte and others in alleged crimes against humanity, these ongoing and fundamental abuses occurring within drug detention centers must also be urgently addressed,” said Jerry Abela. concealed illegal conduct.
Although the Duterte era is over, drug users continue to be criminalized and stigmatized through punitive policies and practices
Amnesty International Philippines issues campaigner Jerrie Abella
“President Marcos Jr.’s administration promised a new approach to solving the country’s drug problem and focused on public health and human rights. Instead, despite the end of the Duterte era, drug users continue to be targeted through punitive policies and practices. Convicted and humiliated.
The ongoing “war on drugs” continues to disproportionately impact those living in poverty and low incomes.
Tortured during arrest and forced to confess
In the Philippines, drug users are frequently targeted in violent police operations that often involve torture and other ill-treatment, arbitrary detention, and coerced or otherwise unreliable confessions.
One interviewee, Michael (pseudonym), described how police tortured him into admitting to drug use, beating his feet with wooden sticks, squeezing his hands with bullets, and burning his eyes and face with chili pepper juice. He said police later took photos of him “using” drugs as evidence. Three days later, he was sent to a drug rehab facility.
Drug detention centers are often located near or even inside police or military bases, emphasizing their punitive nature. Like Michael, many of those interviewed by Amnesty International were sent to these centers after plea bargains were struck with courts, which do not have the medical expertise to order or oversee any drug treatment. Under this arrangement, in exchange for pleading guilty to drug charges, individuals avoid jail time but must undergo mandatory “rehabilitation.”
Under the terms of such plea agreements, individuals are forced to remain in the center for the duration of their sentence, which is usually six months to a year.
Mandatory drug testing and corporal punishment for violations
Conditions within drug treatment centers also often violate international human rights law and standards. People must undergo mandatory drug testing multiple times before and during detention.
“Random or mandatory drug testing without justification is an arbitrary interference with personal privacy and is counterproductive from a health rights perspective, as authorities often use them to maintain influence over drug users,” said Jerry Abella .
Breaking the rules often results in corporal punishment, including being forced to undergo strenuous physical training, weeks or months of isolation, and degrading behavior such as being forced to “walk like a duck” or “face the wall” for hours.
The most serious violations, such as trying to escape or having sex, can result in a person being detained for several months without medical justification.
Children as young as 15 are also arrested, subjected to various forms of torture and other ill-treatment, and sometimes arbitrarily detained in centers unsuited to their needs, subjecting them to long-term and even lifelong trauma.
Thor (pseudonym) was only 16 years old when he was arrested and was arbitrarily detained in a drug rehabilitation center from June 2022 to December 2023. rule.
I will face the wall from 8am to 8pm…every day from Monday to Sunday
Thor (pseudonym)
He said of his extra punishment: “From Monday to Sunday, I was facing the wall every day from 8am to 8pm, on the stage in the stadium, even with the roof, it was very hot.”
Intrusive “aftercare” plan
Even after release, people undergo an invasive “aftercare” program that requires them to report regularly to authorities for 18 months and undergo further unannounced mandatory drug tests. Those receiving “aftercare” were told that refusal to submit to a drug test would be considered evidence of relapse, followed by threats of rearrest or readmission to rehab. The government also provides little support to aid reintegration into society, leading to further stigma.
“Philippine anti-drug policy must move away from punitive and harmful responses and towards evidence-based approaches that respect the dignity of all people and address the root causes of drug use. Drug treatment must always be voluntary, medically indicated, based on scientific evidence and free and informed Guarantees of consent. Drug detention is not and will never be the solution,” said Jerry Abella.
“Facilities that do not meet international standards must be closed immediately. The government must also urgently deliver on its commitment to review the punitive drug law RA1965, which is at the heart of ongoing violations in the ‘war on drugs’, and build on its emphasis on harm reduction, treatment and social support law replaced it.
