MANILA: Outgoing Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has announced he will carry on with his “war on drugs” even after the expiry of his term in office next month.
The Philippines has come under pressure from the UN to investigate allegations of systematic killings of drug suspects under the anti-drug campaign, which Duterte has led since assuming power in 2016.
According to official data, Duterte’s war on drugs has led to the deaths of over 6,000 Filipinos, but the International Criminal Court estimates the death toll could be 30,000.
The court’s prosecutors launched an investigation into the anti-drug campaign in September last year, saying it appeared to have been “a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population” and could amount to crimes against humanity.
The probe was suspended two months later to assess a deferral request from the Philippine government and has not resumed since.
As Duterte’s six-year term expires on June 30, he said in a televised meeting with Cabinet members that drugs would make Philippine society “dysfunctional.”
“We can continue this fight even if I am already a civilian,” he said, adding that he would rather see drug lords and drug peddlers “dead than alive.”
“If you destroy my country, it is as if you ended our lives. So, I want drug lords to know I will forever remain your enemy. Remember that.”
Once he leaves office, Duterte will not have the official power to pursue his war on drugs.
“He cannot do that in his official capacity anymore,” the president of the National Union of People’s Lawyers Edre Olalia told Arab News. “But, of course, you and I know that he’s still in power through proxies.”
Duterte’s daughter, Sara Duterte-Carpio, is the running mate of Ferdinand Marcos, who scored a landslide victory in this month’s presidential election and is set to be inaugurated on June 30.
During his presidential campaign, Marcos vowed to continue Duterte’s policies, although he told the media he would also focus on education and rehabilitation in dealing with the country’s drug problems.
For Olalia, the fact that the drug problem still exists proves that Duterte’s approach has not helped address it.
“Otherwise, we will be harvesting the fruits of such an approach, if indeed there was now a lower supply of drugs in the market, fewer drug addicts, and if there were no more drug lords. That’s the best proof that it really is not working.”
Duterte vows to continue ‘war on drugs’ after Philippine presidency
https://arab.news/rfbkr
Duterte vows to continue ‘war on drugs’ after Philippine presidency
- ICC estimates the death toll from the anti-drug campaign could be 30,000
- Rodrigo Duterte’s term will end on June 30
Delhi ‘plant cafe’ offers residents respite from toxic smog
- Air Quality Index in the capital regularly hovers above 300, which is considered dangerous
- Residents are increasingly considering air pollution levels before venturing outside
NEW DELHI: As air pollution hovers around dangerous levels across New Delhi, a small cafe is becoming increasingly popular among residents of the Indian capital, offering respite from the constant toxic smog that threatens public health.
At Planterie, described by its owner as plant studio, rows of plants line both the floor and shelves as dozens of pots with spilling foliage hang by the window, resembling a lush greenhouse.
The cafe has gained traction online over the past month, after visitors posted clips of monitors showing comparatively better air quality inside.
On Wednesday, the Air Quality Index, or AQI, inside the cafe stood at about 30, a stark contrast to the levels outdoors, which hit above 300 across the capital.
On the AQI scale from 0 to 500, good air quality is represented by levels below 50, while levels above 300 are dangerous.
“This is one of a kind in Delhi … I’m sure you can feel the difference once you come in … (plants) make such a difference,” Sureika Narain, a walking tour guide and a regular at the cafe, told Arab News.
“I’ve grown up in Delhi. I’ve seen the pollution become worse and worse, but somehow I’m able to cope with it through the yogas, pranayama (breathing technique), whatever we do in life, and we find places like this that we carry on in life … this kind of place in Delhi is very important.”
Delhi has not recorded a single “clean air” day in 2025, with Air Quality Index readings hitting high above the 50 score throughout the year.
Its residents have staged at least four protests since October, demanding more government action to address air pollution.
The pollution levels also get worse as winter descends, when Delhi’s air further thickens into an opaque, toxic smog, triggering headaches, itchy eyes and burning throats among the public.
“During the winter season, pollution goes very high and people become more and more conscious. And people do find it, like if you come in here, immediately you feel a little bit of calmness, because all the plants and the air is very clean inside,” Farial Sabrina, co-owner of Planterie, told Arab News.
Since opening in 2021, she said some of her customers would commute at least 45 minutes just to visit the cafe, which offers a limited menu and can only accommodate about 20 people at a time.
“I feel grateful and sometimes overwhelmed with the response that people have given. People do come up to us and really thank us for existing,” Sabrina said.
“If you’re living in a big city, we want everything best, but air is a basic right.”
To limit exposure to toxic air, Delhi residents are increasingly choosing to stay at home, where air purifiers are at least keeping them safe.
As many start to consider AQI levels before going outside, places like Planterie are becoming a chosen alternative.
“I try to avoid going outside and the high AQI at the moment, so I mostly stay indoors with the air filter on,” Mona, a Planterie customer, told Arab News.
“The motivation to come here was basically to leave the house in the high AQI and, you know, find a place where the air quality is a little better.”
The same was true for Laura Supprin, a German living in the city.
“This is like a nice combination: good coffee, cute interior, some nice coffees or teas, and also lower AQI. So, it was a win-win,” she said.
“If you’re outside for too long, you, like, get a headache and don’t feel really great. So, having a place like this is good.”
