“Still, the ghosts of victims kept haunting him”

“Still, the ghosts of victims kept haunting him”

Regardless of what his apologists deny or justify the result of his actions, particularly that of harassments, threats, and killings, it seems that the "change" that once promised in 2016 is but of blood and bullets. 

For many years past since "democracy" was restored in the country, the Duterte administration has left a legacy that outweighs those of his achievements: that of his drug war, his "war on terror", and that of his half-hearted response to this COVID19 pandemic. This may sound "political" especially when the folk are deeply affected by these problems, what more on the treatment brought by the state: that of fear than of hope, especially those who had enough of the cycle of poverty be it those from the shantytown to that of the countryside enslaved by local rural despotism. What more with the coming into effect of various unjust actions like "Tokhang" or "Double Barrel", to that of a controversial anti-terror law and the formation of a "task force" against the growing left-wing movement; and all these has brought back ghosts of Ferdinand Marcos' martial law (1972-81), especially when dissent was punished and silenced by force.

From these situations it wouldn't be surprised that this may continue. Especially when there's failure to strengthen democratic and republican traditions in the country, and with elected leaders with its allies as shamelessly transgressing justice and the rule of law as it tilts balance of power all to favor those from the executive branch. 

And in the case of Duterte, his apologists even justify it by claiming "they are for human lives", that his actions as a necessary measure, that "fear" is necessary to create order, or worse, provoking threats on those who disagree with their idol's view of "justice." They would even downplay innocents killed by the order, if not sharing the same thought of Dela Rosa that "shit happens" when it comes to operations against crime. "Human Rights"? It becomes a taboo issue for them if not claiming it as "coddling rebels and drug addicts" alike.
And to claim they're for human lives? Bullshit!  Even Duterte himself orders Dela Rosa to blame him for the drug war that caused both innocent and those falsely accused. Will people just accept it? Unless that person is a remorseless fanatic, expect the concerned seriously disagree that kind of narrative the administration is peddling to the folk. 

To cut this thought short, regardless of what apologists may insist, the ghosts of his victims continue to haunt him and even his camarilla. Not surprising especially that as calls for investigations resonate, Duterte's silence over the issue is itself an acquiescence of ICC's Bensouda's urging guised as self-denial if not remorseless over his actions. And since that the country has a "functioning judicial system and a vibrant democracy", then ask those who were imprisoned or killed due to false charges brought by some overzealous policemen claiming to be "for order and the rule of law" even it becomes contrary to it; what more of the arrests led by some judge who issues warrants simply because they are "subversives" in the eyes of the present administration and thus requires some basis to justify it no matter it is trumped-up nor its evidences as planted to justify further. 

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Pardon if the title tends to be of a ghoulish nature, but for those victims of extrajudicial killings, of collateral damages, of falsely accused, and being planted by some "evidences", such actions created ghosts that haunts a regime that uses "justice" in its distorted form for their own interests.