The forensic pathologist helping Philippines’ ‘war on drugs’ victims
Raquel Fortun is one of only two forensic pathologists in the Philippines. Earlier this year, I interviewed her about her mission to discover the truth, and hopefully win justice, for the victims of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s “war on drugs”.
Her crusade came about through unlikely circumstances. The victims of Duterte’s crackdowns were overwhelmingly from the poorest backgrounds, and many families could not afford to extend temporary leases on their graves. As families began to face eviction from cemeteries five years on from the killings, Fortun offered to carry out investigations to collect evidence about their deaths.
Known to many as just Doc, Fortun does the work for free. She has a no-nonsense manner, and spoke frankly about the risks she faces by working
