On the President's Orders (S38E03)

Manila: When he took office in 2016, Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte immediately began to deliver a campaign pledge: the “War on Drugs.” However, the process quickly spiralled out of control. Since then, thousands of people have been “eliminated” by unscrupulous police officers. New police chief Modequillo is tasked with providing more discipline and the reduction of these bloody incidents. The filmmakers have gained access to a special police unit. We follow street missions, meet youth gangs, enter crowded prisons and witness a system where it is not the guilty but the poorest who pay the highest price. On the President's Orders marks a captivating and shattering documentary thriller about the under discussed crisis facing this island nation. (Zurich Film Festival)