Group explains inclusion of slain doctor during protest rally for EJK victims

The Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD) clarified why a slain doctor was included in the 14 March protest rally at the Philippine General Hospital for victims of extrajudicial killings (EJK).

This came after Dr. Raul Winston Andutan’s son took to social media to clarify that his father did not die from "anything related to EJK" and had no connection to former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.

"Just to be clear, he was murdered by people who are ROTTING IN JAIL right now. He was murdered because of greed, jealousy, and reasons that our family could never understand and accept," Dr. Lox Andutan wrote on his Facebook account.

In a statement, HEAD clarified that the doctors whose photos were included in the protest "were killed because of the culture of impunity prevailing due to Duterte's orders of 'kill, kill, kill.'"

"They were not killed due to EJKs related to the war on drugs but because of issues related to corruption, which the doctors were allegedly exposing, red-tagging, or other reasons," HEAD said.

"They were killed because there was no longer any regard for the value of life under the prevailing culture of impunity during the Duterte administration," it added.

The group said it had already communicated with Dr. Raul’s wife. The Cagayan de Oro-based urologist was killed in 2021.

In a separate statement, the Philippine Urological Association (PUA) condemned the unauthorized use of Dr. Raul’s photo.

"Dr. Raul Winston Andutan’s untimely death in 2021 had undeniably nothing to do with extrajudicial killings related to illicit drugs. In reality, Dr. Andutan was murdered by vile individuals who, according to his son, were overcome by 'greed and jealousy,'" the PUA said.

"His killers are now incarcerated. Despite this, his photograph was used without his family's consent on 14 March 2025 during a demonstration in front of the Philippine General Hospital, where he was falsely portrayed as either a victim of EJK or of the government's alleged red-tagging efforts and corrupt practices," it added.