De Lima urges passage of anti-EJK bill

MANILA, Philippines — House Deputy Minority Leader Rep. Leila M. de Lima (Mamamayang Liberal Partylist) called for the swift passage of a measure that seeks to penalize extrajudicial killings (EJK).

In a statement on Saturday, August 16, during the eighth anniversary of the killing of Kian delos Santos, De Lima called for the urgent passage of the House Bill that she filed in July 2025, “that seeks to define and penalize EJKs and related acts.”

She said that Delos Santos’ killing exposed the "violence, failure, and devilishness of the war on drugs” during the administration of detained former President Rodrigo Duterte. 

"Justice is catching up. We continue to hope and pray that Rodrigo Duterte, as the mastermind behind these massive killings, will be held accountable, along with his co-conspirators and accomplices," De Lima said. 

The proposed measure, House Bill (HB) No. 1432, aims to define and penalize EJKs. 

If signed into law, De Lima said the measure would establish an Inter-Agency Council Against Extrajudicial Killings to ensure both state and non-state actors behind EJKs are held accountable.

The bill also proposes a penalty of life imprisonment without parole for any individual found guilty of committing EJK.

“EJK is a clear and present phenomenon of the times, boldly challenging our constitutionally protected human right against the taking of life, and a transgression of due process and the presumption of innocence of criminal suspects. EJK remains a grave threat that demands our most urgent effort through legislation,” De Lima said.

“Kailanman ay hindi tayo dapat makalimot at magwalang-kibo sa mga pamamaslang at kawalan ng pananagutan. Hustisya para sa lahat ng biktima ng EJKs! Panagutin ang pasimuno at ang lahat ng kasabwat sa pamamaslang, lalo na sa mga inosenteng bata at sibilyan!” she added.

(We should never forget and remain silent about the killings and the lack of accountability. Justice for all victims of EJKs! Hold the mastermind and all accomplices in the killings accountable, especially for the innocent children and civilians!)

She also advocated for the establishment of an EJK victims’ compensation fund to support the families of those killed under the previous administration.

In July this year, members of the House Quad Committee filed a bill to classify EJK as a heinous crime. 

The same measure also imposes the penalty of life imprisonment on those found guilty and seeks to provide reparations for victims’ families.

Duterte is currently detained at the International Criminal Court (ICC) facility in the Netherlands, where he faces charges of crimes against humanity over the extrajudicial killings in the Philippines.

Government data estimates around 6,000 deaths during the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign. However, international human rights groups place the figure at up to 30,000, mostly small-time drug pushers and users.