Drug-related Killings Database

Abstract

Building a Drug-related Killings Database: Developing a method for recording drug-related killings

Duterte’s “war on drugs” has fostered a culture of violence and impunity that has seen an alarming increase in the number of unresolved killings. However, there is a need to probe these killings in a methodological manner so as not to cause even more confusion among a people already bombarded with misinformation on a near-daily basis. There are a number of databases and estimates of the drug war’s casualty count, but few actually take the time to explain how they come up with those numbers. This study aims to (1) develop a method in recording drug-related deaths in the Philippines; (2) to create a database of reported killings using a method developed; and (3) to identify key trends in the circumstances of the deaths and the media’s coverage of those deaths.

The main contribution of this study is neither an exact death toll nor an exhaustive record of victims but a clear set of parameters on what constitute drug-related deaths and how they can be recorded by other concerned parties. Due to practical constraints, the study was based only on the news reports of a single source. Recording drug-related killings is a step toward seeking accountability from its perpetrators. It is hoped that, through this endeavor, institutions, especially academic ones, will be encouraged to monitor killings in their localities, particularly those that are often out of the mainstream media’s reach.

Results

Infographics

Timeline of drug-related killings

Victims of drug-related killings dramatically increased at the onset of war against drugs of the Duterte administration. To show the increase in figures, we also recorded the reported drug-related killings during the Aquino administration.

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Heatmap of drug-related killings

Drug-related killings in the Philippines were recorded and mapped out to identify the places and cities where most number of operations occurred. 

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Drug involvement: users, pushers and high profile targets

In this section, we try to identify the drug involvement of the victims. How many users were killed? How many were pushers? How many drug lords and high profile targets were killed?

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Individual stories of those who were killed

Who Were They?

Begging on His Knees

Begging on His Knees

Two men barged into the home of the Sorima’s before dawn looking for Edicer to ask him some questions. They took him outside and soon after, the family heard the sound of four gunshots. A witness to the killing described the horrific scene. Edicer was seen to have...

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Better Than to Starve

Better Than to Starve

Alvin Ronald “Heart” De Chavez was a transgender woman, sibling of Analyn, and a child to Elena. In the Sunday preceding his death, Heart was arrested by the police after having his phone confiscated and finding text conversations about drug transactions. Elena told...

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A Welcoming Gift to the President

A Welcoming Gift to the President

On July 1, 2016, 8:00 AM, less than 24 hours after Duterte’s inauguration, another life was taken by the police. And this time, according to the PNP Provincial Director of Negros, Harris Fama, it served as a “welcoming gift to the new president.”  Lito Belandres was a...

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Database Template

Coding Guide

Definition of Variables