While campaigning for president just prior to the May 9th elections, the now President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte said, “All of you who are into drugs, you sons of bitches, I will really kill you.” Sadly, this is a promise he’s not backing down on. Since the Election Day, over 800 drug-related killings have taken place.
While most of these killings have been committed by police (who claim the victims resisted), about 40% of the victims were killed my unidentified gunmen and many were brutally salvaged. Unfortunately, this comes by no surprise, as Duterte himself, after being elected, told the public in a televised speech, “Please feel free to call us, the police, or do it yourself if you have a gun. You have my support. You can kill him. Shoot him and I’ll give you a medal.”
We at Peace Church lament, grieve and cry out for change. These extra-judicial killings of poverty-stricken drug users and dealers (wealthy drug users and dealers aren’t being killed) are tearing families apart, creating fear and distrust and not at all getting to the root of the drug problem. Politicians, the general public, and even Christian leaders are supporting Duterte’s War on Drugs. How can this be? Do we really value life that little that we can support this type of mass killing? And how can we allow anyone with a gun to decide who the criminal is? The injustice of it all just baffles me. I am still in shock that this brutal leader became President on a campaign that promised to kill.
Besides the injustice of president-sanctioned extra-judicial killings, the global War on Drugs itself, has recently been deemed ineffective. The UN is adopting a new framework on drug control, which puts people first. The Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime said, “Putting people first means balanced approaches that are based on health and human rights, and promote the safety and security of all our societies. Drug policies must most of all protect the potential of young people and foster their healthy styles of life and safe development.”
Besides the injustice of president-sanctioned extra-judicial killings, the global War on Drugs itself, has recently been deemed ineffective. The UN is adopting a new framework on drug control, which puts people first. The Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime said, “Putting people first means balanced approaches that are based on health and human rights, and promote the safety and security of all our societies. Drug policies must most of all protect the potential of young people and foster their healthy styles of life and safe development.”
President Duterte, you’re fighting the wrong battle and you’re creating a cylce of violence in this country that’s now spinning madly. You're putting the entire justice system in the hands of corrupt police and civilians and calling for a bloodbath. Instead of caring for your constituents by addressing health and poverty issues, you're killing your people. Please stop now, for every single life matters.
Amen. How awful. Light years removed from the approaches we are finally beginning to see make more sense in our part of the world. Would some of our experts could talk some sense into him if he'd let them.
ReplyDeleteYes, he could use some good advice! Its a terrible approach he's using :( Thanks for the support, Lorne.
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