Foreign Affairs
US Aid Deferred As Duterte’s Drug War Rages On
Civil Affairs Soldiers and security forces from ten allied and partner nations recieve training, taken Sept. 12, 2016 (Public Domain)
Concerned about human rights violations in the ongoing drug war in the Philippines, the U.S. has not yet renewed a major financial aid package to its Pacific ally.
The renewal and distribution of funds is being deferred due to “significant concerns around the rule of law and civil liberties in the Philippines,” spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines Molly Koscina told reporters Thursday. The deferral does not preclude the possibility of receiving future aid packages, reports The New York Times.
The previous five-year grant, which expired in May, was reportedly worth $434 million.
Funding is provided through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), which was set up by the U.S. government to alleviate poverty. The organization will continue “to monitor unfolding events” to determine whether the Philippines is eligible for aid at a later date.
To receive aid, countries must “demonstrate a commitment to just and democratic governance, investments in its people, and economic freedom,” the MCC said in a statement. “All country partners are expected to maintain eligibility, which includes not just a passing scorecard but also a demonstrated commitment to the rule of law, due process and respect for human rights.”
The MCC did not vote on whether to reselect the Philippines for a second compact at its December meeting. Another meeting is scheduled for March 2017, at which point the Board of Directors may choose to revisit its decision on providing aid.
The situation in the Philippines is decidedly grim.
President Rodrigo Duterte launched a shoot-to-kill drug war immediately after taking office, and so far, an estimated 6,000 people have died.
Many of the deaths are believed to be extrajudicial killings carried out by the police and vigilantes.
Duterte’s war on drugs has been criticized heavily by Western democracies, the United Nations, and a number of human rights organizations.
Government officials, including Duterte, have regularly dismissed these criticisms.
“I wouldn’t put too much on it, I wouldn’t lose sleep over that,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said in response to the funding deferral. He indicated that this planned aid provision was less than before and was intended as a “symbolic” gesture. “It is not going to be really [sic] of that in significant.”
Duterte’s drug war has been a source of constant tension between Duterte and the Obama administration.
In response to news of drug-linked atrocities coming out of the Philippines, the U.S. shifted millions of dollars in funding intended for law enforcement away from drug control divisions and put the money toward maritime security and human rights training.
“We decided the prudent thing to do was to refocus the way that assistance was being spent,” Department of State spokesman John Kirby said in late November.
The State Department also halted the sale of 26,000 assault rifles to the Philippines National Police (PNP) over concerns about human rights violations in the Philippines.
The derailment of the weapons deal infuriated Duterte, who called the U.S. “monkeys.”
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