No more killing in the name of the drug war

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte is leading a deadly drug war. Filipino police and vigilantes have killed more than 7,000 people suspected of using or selling drugs since last May. Now, President Trump has invited Duterte to the White House after a conversation where the two “discussed the fact that the Philippines is fighting very hard to rid its country of drugs.”

Killing in the name of the drug war is unconscionable. Trump has disgraced the country by inviting President Duterte to the White House and not condemning his actions. We’ve been speaking out against this horrific massacre for the last year, and now Congress is finally starting to listen.

Four bipartisan Senators just introduced critical legislation to restrict U.S. defense aid to the Philippines, provide additional funding for the Filipino human rights community, and support a public health approach to drug use. Urge your U.S. Senators to support and cosponsor this new bill and stand against the slaughter of Filipino civilians in the name of the war on drugs.

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Your Message

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Dear Senator,

Message Body

I urge you to support and cosponsor the Philippines Human Rights Accountability & Counternarcotics Act of 2017 that was just introduced by Senators Cardin (D-MD), Rubio (R-FL), Schatz (D-HI). And Markey (D-MA). This bill places restrictions on defense aid to the country, provides additional funding for the Filipino human rights community, and supports a public health approach to drug use. The bill comes as the number of extrajudicial killings passes an estimated 7,000 in around nine months, as a result of the drug war led by Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte.  
 
In a week where Trump has disgraced the country by inviting a self-confessed killer to the White House, it is encouraging to see Senators from both parties push back against Duterte’s vicious drug war.  
 
Since he was elected President last May, Duterte has championed a campaign that is responsible for extrajudicial killing of thousands of people. Duterte has repeatedly shown complete disregard for due process or human rights. In his call for the murder of people who use or sell drugs, he promised medals for citizens who comply, and pardons for police if they are charged with human rights violations while carrying out the executions. He has even likened himself to Hitler. These extrajudicial killings have largely claimed the lives of the country’s most marginalized and vulnerable citizens, including those who are unemployed or underemployed.

Last summer, more than 300 non-governmental organizations sent an open letter to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Executive Director, Mr. Yury Fedotov, and the International Narcotics Control Board President, Mr. Werner Sipp, asking them to take immediate action aimed at putting a stop to the extrajudicial killings.

Despite international calls for Duterte to end the extrajudicial killings, he has refused to change direction, responding to anyone who has questioned his anti-drug strategy with insults, including former President Obama, the Pope, the International Criminal Court and the United Nations. He has also threatened to kill human rights defenders who attempt to intervene in his war on drugs.

It’s time for the United States to take a stand. And I urge you to do it by cosponsoring the Philippines Human Rights Accountability & Counternarcotics Act of 2017 and help stop the drug war massacre that has already claimed thousands of lives.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]
[Your Address]

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