Dante Dennis V. Diosina Jr
The War on Drugs
A local resident cleans the road near the poster of Mr Rodrigo Duterte along Malate in Manila on 26 August 2016.
Philippine S.W.A.T and Police officers listens during their briefing for their incoming operation of “Oplan Tokhang” at Pasig Police Headquarters in Pasig city on 9 September 2016.
Police Personal talks to the alleged drug users during the “Oplan Tokhang” conduct by Philippine S.W.A.T and Police officers’ at GSIS road in Tramo, Pasig city on 9 September 2016.
Residents of Tondo hold as they arrested by police personnel during “one time, big time anti-drug operation” in Manila on 26 September 2016.
Residents of Tondo hold as they arrested by police personnel during “one time, big time anti-drug operation” in Manila on 28 September 2016.
Alleged drug suspect wait for their turn as the Barangay officials get their details during “Oplan Tokhang” at Public Cemetery in Navotas on 25 October 2016.
Police officers secure the crime scene wherein two dead body of drug suspect killed by buy-bust operation near Camp Karingal in Quezon City on 9 October 2016. According to police report, during operation PO3 Julius Albao got shot and rushes to East Avenue Medical Center.
Residents viewing the scene of a shootout that resulted in the death of a drug suspect of a slum district in Manila on Thursday
Residents viewing the scene of a shootout that result the death of a drug pusher killed by riding-in-tandem at Magallona Street in Mandaluyong on 22 September 2016.
A crime investigator examine the dead body of suspected drug pusher killed by summary execution at Florentino St corner Lacson in Sampaloc, Manila on 1 October 2016.
A dead body of women lays on the street along C-3 road in Navotas on 29 November 2016. According to police report they recover 2 sachet of “shabu”.
Residents and funeral personnel transport the two dead bodies at the trolley in Pandacan, Manila on 17 August 2016. According to police report, he got killed by police personnel during a drug buy bust operation.
Families mourn to the death of their relatives killed during buy bust operation in Pandacan, Manila on August 17, 2016.
The dead body of Sonny Espinosa-16 years old and Junelle Segubia-15 years old transfer to other funeral service as the relatives request in north Caloocan on 29 December 2016. The relatives argue to funeral personnel to transfer their decease relatives to cheaper funeral due to financial problem. After the relatives argued to funeral service, a police came and loaded the family into mobile police to speak elsewhere. According to police report, 8 dead people including minor and baby in womb killed by two riding-in-tandems due to gang war but according to the relatives there children are just bystander when the incident was happen and the possible target are drug suspects.
Mother mourns to death of her son killed by unidentified gun-man at Visayas Street in Batasan, Quezon City on 9 February 2017.
A chick place to the glass of coffin of Eric Quintinita Sison during his wake at Pasay in Manila on 24 August 2016. In Filipino beliefs, placing a chick at the glass of coffin symbolizes of injustice killing and to gain conscience that did it. The viral video exposes wherein Eric is begging and willing to surrender to the Pasay police but insist to kill him during the police operation.
(L) Rachelle Bermoy partner of Eric Sison together with relatives mourns in front of coffin during the mass burial in Pasay, Manila on 31 August 2016. The viral video exposes wherein Eric Sison the alleged drug pusher is begging and willing to surrender to the Pasay police but insist to kill him during the police operation.
Family mourns as they visit the grave of their relative Michael Siaron at public cemetery in Pasay on 31 August 2016. Michael was killed by unidentified gunman riding in motorcycle and left a message beside his dead body written in cardboard sign “Drug pusher huwag tularan” (I am a drug pusher, don’t emulate)
Surrenderers participate in a rehabilitation program at San Roque Parish Church in Bluementtrit, Manila on 30 November 2016.
Filipino spectators look to the crime scene at Pajo in Caloocan on 30 September 2016. According to police report three dead body and three are arrested during buy bust operation and they saw a sachet of “Shabu” and gun.
Project Description
The war on drugs issue in the Philippines is so different. It is a strong campaign that has been underway since the newly elected President Rodrigo Duterte won the election in the Philippines.
As early as eight months after President Rodrigo Duterte won there were total of 8,000+ dead people who were killed during the war on drugs. Since then, I have witnessed the killings almost every night in different ways. There are some who are killed but their face is covered by packaging tape, their hands are tied and they are just dumped in the streets with a cardboard sign saying “Pusher, wag tularan”, which means “I’m a drug pusher – don’t be like me”. The others are killed by police operations, and every time they are asked why they need to kill their targets they just said “they fought back”.
It’s really hard to understand how they run the system and why it is so many are killed. There are lots of stories and it’s so different until you know the story of the family. Lot of families urged they kill their loved ones like an animal, and they had no gun at all, so it is hard to accept because the police always say they fought back – that’s why they killed them.
The effect of the war on drugs is disturbing; society has become used to seeing dead human beings lying on the street. Almost every day there is a family who have lost their loved ones. Even if they surrender there is a chance that they might also be killed, even if you are trying to change you can possibly be a target. Nobody knows and the real victims here are the orphaned – they always remember what they saw.
For me whatever kind of person someone is, they have the freedom to live. No one can judge to kill, but to help them to reach their hope. A person who is suffering from drug addiction has a mental problem and needs assistance to rehabilitate. Everyone has their environment, their nature that comes to life, and these people might become addicted to drugs because of their own problems that can affect their system.
Since then I started documenting the war on drugs in my motherland, and I believe by the use of my photographs, which can tell the reality that Filipinos need to face, I will not stop documenting these issues until they realise that they need to stop the killings and instead help people for the problem to improve.
Biography
Dante Dennis V. Diosina Jr is a freelance photographer based in the Philippines. Dante has been working at a local newspaper and several news agencies. He also has ongoing documentary projects focusing on armed conflict, health issues, indigenous peoples, human rights issues and natural disasters.
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