ZHUBIZ CHEZMIZ: Multi-award winning documentary ‘Aswang’ reveals real-life demons in drug war
INQUIRER PHOTO/RAFFY LERMA
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The documentary titled Aswang unveils the shocking story of how President Rodrigo Duterte unleashed real-life demons onto his streets as part of a brutal drug war which has claimed the lives of tens of thousands since he came to power in 2016.
‘Aswang’ is Filipino term for supernatural and magical creatures such as witches, vampires, ghosts and werewolves. Since President Duterte took office, ‘Aswang’ have been appearing in real life in Manila.
In Duterte’s drug war, death squads have shot, tortured and kidnapped tens of thousands of drug users, dealers and innocent bystanders.
Police officers are allegedly given free rein to use brutal violence directed at the poorest sections of society. These extra-judicial killings have now been named as crimes against humanity by Amnesty International.
The multi-award winning documentary follows a group of people whose lives have been caught up in these events: a journalist who tries to make a stand against lawlessness, a coroner, a missionary who comforts bereaved family members, and a street kid with parents in prison and friends in the cemetery.
Breathlessly following the everyday struggle of those whose lives have been radically affected by the regime, Aswang is a shocking account of unprecedented violence and the brazen assault on freedoms by a Government and its President which still enjoy support from voters, while countless others at home and abroad look on with horror.
iwonder CEO, James Bridges, says of the film: “This chilling full-length documentary directorial debut from Alyx Ayn Arumpac is a powerful account of the terror that has gripped the streets of Manila since President Duterte’s brutal war on drugs began. As Duterte hints at a vice-presidential run in the 2022 elections to extend his legacy, Aswang serves as a message in a bottle from some of the country’s most vulnerable communities who continue to live in the real fear of a late-night raid by state-sponsored executioners.“
Aswang can be viewed for free at iwonder by signing up for the 14-day free trial period. The documentary is not available on iwonder in The Philippines or Thailand.
