implying women would be “useless” without their vaginas.225 These comments, along with his vulgar demeanor and public threats, reinforced his image as a leader who disregards human dignity and rights. DESPITE PROMISES OF ECONOMIC REFORM, DUTERTE’S ADMINISTRATION DID LITTLE TO ALLEVIATE POVERTY. HIS ‘WAR ON DRUGS’ DEFLECTED FROM THE TRUE CAUSES OF POVERTY AND DEVELOPMENT ISSUES. HIS BRUTEFORCE GOVERNANCE, ESPECIALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC, FURTHER UNDERMINED ACCOUNTABILITY IN AN ALREADY WEAK STATE. Despite promises of economic reform, Duterte’s administration did little to alleviate poverty. His ‘war on drugs’ deflected from the true causes of poverty and development issues. His brute-force governance, especially during the pandemic, further undermined accountability in an already weak state.226 Marcos Jr. now continues the fascist and dynastic tendencies after his election in 2022, following Duterte’s presidency, where he now combines his father’s (Marcos) legacy and Duterte’s counter-insurgency model at the same time. Duterte’s daughter, Sara, accepted a secondary role in the administration, positioning herself for a potential future presidency.227 The brutal legacy of extrajudicial killings, a hallmark of Duterte’s ‘war on drugs’, has persisted under Marcos Jr. Despite his public declarations that the focus would shift toward treatment, rehabilitation and integration, the reality tells a far more violent story. According to data gathered by Dahas, a university-based research group, at least 329 people lost their lives in 2023 alone, as victims of police-led anti-drug operations or ‘mysterious assailants’.228 225 The Philippine Star. (2018) HRW: Duterte’s ‘Shoot Them in the Vagina’ Remark Encourages Sexual Violence. https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/02/12/1787123/hrw-dutertes-shoot-them-vagina-remark-encourages-sexual-violence 226 UPLB Perspective. (2020). Dysfunctional Authority: Macho-Fascist Guide to Impunity. https://uplbperspective. wordpress.com/2020/06/14/dysfunctional-authority-macho-fascist-guide-to-impunity/ 227 “Sara Duterte: Daughter of Philippines Leader Runs for Vice-President.” BBC News, November 19, 2021. https:// www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-59274204 228 Amnesty International. (2023). Philippines 2023. Amnesty International. https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/asiaand-the-pacific/south-east-asia-and-the-pacific/philippines/report-philippines/ 62