Political Noise and Sovereignty: Shielding the Truth from Accountability?
The recent hearings by the quad committee on the “war on drugs” have laid bare the desperate attempts of the Duterte administration’s defenders to shield their actions from scrutiny. Faced with mounting evidence of human rights violations, extrajudicial killings, and systemic abuses, these defenders have resorted to familiar tactics: invoking sovereignty to fend off international accountability and dismissing calls for justice as mere “political noise.” However, these strategies fail to suppress the reality that justice demands and the weight of evidence now wielded against them.
Sovereignty as a Shield for Impunity
A common refrain in the defenders’ arsenal is the invocation of sovereignty. They argue that international bodies, such as the International Criminal Court (ICC), have no jurisdiction over the Philippines, framing external investigations as threats to national independence. This rhetoric seeks to deflect attention from the core issues—state-led violence and systemic impunity—by transforming the narrative into one of national pride and resistance to foreign interference.
However, this argument is fundamentally flawed. Sovereignty does not grant carte blanche to commit atrocities or evade accountability. The Philippines, as a signatory to international treaties such as the Rome Statute, has obligations to uphold universal human rights and to ensure that domestic systems provide justice. When these mechanisms fail or are deliberately undermined, as critics argue happened under the Duterte administration, international intervention becomes not a breach of sovereignty but a necessary recourse to uphold justice.
Moreover, invoking sovereignty as a defense highlights a contradiction. While asserting independence to resist external investigations, the administration itself courted foreign aid and support, particularly in the form of military and police assistance, during the campaign. Sovereignty, in this context, appears less about protecting national integrity and more about shielding those responsible for abuses from facing the consequences of their actions.
Political Noise: Dismissing Accountability
Alongside sovereignty, the defenders of the past administration have employed the term “political noise” to dismiss the hearings. This rhetorical strategy paints the proceedings as distractions orchestrated by political opponents, undermining their legitimacy and discouraging public engagement.
However, labeling these inquiries as noise fails to diminish their substance. The accusations leveled against the Duterte administration are grounded in evidence, from documented testimonies of victims’ families to official admissions of collateral damage and the justification of extrajudicial killings. The hearings have exposed how the administration’s rhetoric of “necessary violence” and “collateral damage” was used to justify a campaign that indiscriminately targeted the poor and marginalized, often disregarding due process.
Ironically, the very words and justifications once used to defend the “war on drugs” have now become evidence against the administration. Statements that excused the killing of innocents as unavoidable consequences or collateral damage in the pursuit of order now highlight the systemic disregard for human rights and accountability. This “political noise,” far from being a distraction, is the sound of truth echoing through a nation demanding justice.
The Weight of Truth and Evidence
Despite efforts to delegitimize the hearings, the evidence continues to mount. Families of victims, human rights organizations, and international watchdogs have provided documentation of abuses, creating an undeniable record of state violence. The testimonies of those directly affected serve as powerful counterpoints to the dismissive rhetoric of the administration’s defenders.
The attempt to relegate these proceedings to the realm of partisan squabbles ignores the undeniable weight of truth. Extrajudicial killings, the systemic targeting of the vulnerable, and the use of state power to perpetuate violence are not political issues—they are moral and legal crises that demand resolution. The hearings offer a platform to confront these crises and ensure that the victims are not forgotten.
Justice as a Counter to Impunity
The defenders’ strategy of invoking sovereignty and political noise is ultimately a bid to evade accountability. However, justice requires more than rhetoric; it demands transparency, evidence, and accountability. By resisting these hearings, the defenders not only undermine their own credibility but also expose their fear of facing the consequences of their actions.
Accountability is not just about punishing wrongdoers. It is about breaking the cycle of impunity that allows such atrocities to occur. The “war on drugs” was not an isolated campaign—it was part of a broader system that prioritized power over justice, fear over humanity. Without accountability, future leaders may adopt similar policies, confident that they too can evade responsibility.
The Role of Society in Breaking the Silence
The hearings serve as a wake-up call to the Filipino people. It is the responsibility of citizens, media, and institutions to see through the smokescreen of political noise and demand truth. Sovereignty and political rhetoric must not be allowed to drown out the voices of the victims or the evidence of abuse.
The pursuit of justice is not just a legal process—it is a moral imperative. It is a fight for the soul of the nation, a reminder that the value of human life must always take precedence over political expediency. The hearings are not noise—they are a chorus of truth, a collective demand for accountability, and a testament to the resilience of justice.
Conclusion
As the quad committee hearings unfold, the desperation of the Duterte administration’s defenders becomes increasingly evident. Their appeals to sovereignty and attempts to dismiss the proceedings as political noise cannot suppress the mounting weight of truth. Justice, though delayed, remains inevitable. These hearings are more than an inquiry into past abuses—they are a reckoning with the nation’s values and a step toward ensuring that the horrors of the “war on drugs” are never repeated. Truth may be obscured by noise, but it cannot be silenced.