Despite being caught in the throes of an ultraviolent war on drugs, Filipino lawmakers have decided to keep medical marijuana patients safe and clear from the ongoing massacre.

The Philippine House of Representatives committee on Wednesday endorsed their approval of marijuana use for medical purposes, reports Newsweek.

House Bill 180, authored by Rep. Rodito Albano, establishes a set of rules for proper medical marijuana regulation, which includes the designations to qualify as a medical cannabis patient with a government-issued identification card. The bill also designates qualifications for cannabis physicians, caregivers, and dispensaries.

“I have high hopes under the Duterte administration that this measure would be enacted into law. Finally, there is hope for our people, especially our children, who suffer from medical conditions like epilepsy, cancer and multiple sclerosis,” Albano told the Phil Star.

The move to legalize medical marijuana is somewhat surprising, as President Rodrigo Duterte continues to murder thousands of Filipinos in the name of a glorified drug war. The decision was made just one day after lawmakers approved the re-introduction of the death penalty for drug-related crimes.

Albeit confusing, legalizing medical cannabis during the height of anti-drug fervor is a political stance Duterte has believed in even before taking the highest office in the island nation.

“Medicinal marijuana, yes, because it is really an ingredient of modern medicine now. There are drugs right now being developed or already in the market that (have) marijuana as a component,” he said during his prior position as mayor of Davao City.

“If you just smoke it like a cigarette, I will not allow it, ever. It remains to be a prohibited item and there’s always a threat of being arrested,” added Duterte. “If you choose to fight the law enforcement agency, you die.”