Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard will visit the Philippines for the first time since 2017 this week, following the lifting of a Duterte-era immigration ban that prevented her from entering the country.
During her visit from 19 to 22 November, Ms Callamard will meet with victims of human rights violations committed during former president Rodrigo Duterte’s so-called “war on drugs”, as well as their families, and lawyers and journalists who courageously denounced, reported and investigated the thousands of extrajudicial executions committed throughout his presidency. She will also speak at the launch of Amnesty International Philippines’ book, Walang Pahimakas (No Farewell): Anthology of Poems on the “War on Drugs”,and participate in Rappler’s Social Good Summit 2026: WE, THE HUMANS.
“I’m delighted to be able to return to the Philippines, a country close to my heart where I have many friends. I am moved to meet once again with victims and survivors of Duterte’s so-called ‘war on drugs’ and pay tribute in person to their incredible courage and resilience. This long overdue visit comes at a historic time, with Duterte finally set to go on trial in The Hague for the crime against humanity of murder. Without the determined efforts of the Filipino people, lawyers and civil society, this powerful exercise in international justice would not have been possible,” said Agnès Callamard.
“However, justice does not begin and end in The Hague. The Philippine government must cooperate fully with the ICC, but it must also pursue accountability at home. That means independently investigating those allegedly responsible for unlawful killings, prosecuting them in fair proceedings where there is sufficient evidence, and ensuring victims and their families have access to effective remedies here in the Philippines.”
This long overdue visit comes at a historic time, with Duterte finally set to go on trial in The Hague for the crime against humanity of murder.
Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard
Ms Callamard will be available for interviews during her Philippines visit. After leaving the country she will travel to The Hague for the opening of Duterte’s trial for crimes against humanity and to attend the Assembly of States Parties to the ICC.
Background
While serving as UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, Ms Callamard felt Duterte’s wrath for condemning and calling for investigations into the thousands of killings under the “war on drugs”, with the then-president publicly threatening to slap her. In 2018, his government designated her as an “undesirable alien” and ordered that she and any International Criminal Court (ICC) representatives who entered the country to investigate the anti-drug campaign be arrested and deported.
In September 2026, following several years petitioning the Philippines authorities, and with the support of Amnesty International Philippines and a number of political representatives, Ms Callamard finally succeeded in having her immigration ban lifted.
Launch of Walang Pahimakas (No Farewell): Anthology of Poems on the “War on Drugs”
Who: Amnesty International Secretary General, Agnès Callamard, and Philippine Section Director, Ritz Lee Santos, III, with Artists for Amnesty, poets Ron Atilano and Harold Fiesta. They will be joined by the National Artist for Literature, Virgilio Almario, and representatives of the families of victims of Duterte’s “war on drugs”.
What:
- 9:30am PHT Press Conference about Amnesty’s current work on the ICC and the Philippine “war on drugs”, 10 days before Duterte’s trail begins at The Hague.
- 10:00am PHT Launch of the “Walang Pahimakas (No Farewell) Anthology”, and photo opportunity during the handing over of sales of the books to families of victims of the “war on drugs”.
Where: Seda Vertis North, Quezon City, Philippines
When: Friday, 20 November 2026 at 9:30am PHT
Please register to join in person or via zoom.
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