Second
of
three
parts
PH
in
a
year
of
DUTERTE
CONFIDENTIAL WAR ON DRUGS
about.
v. used to call attention to something important
An online news magazine that aims to shed light to things that matter.
IN NUMBERS
7,000+
deaths both from legitimate police operations and vigilante killings
2,717
suspected drug personalities killed in police operations
64,269
drug personalities arrested
50,428
conducted police operations
1,275,577
surrenders as of April 18, 2017
7,896,882
houses visited via Project Tokhang
3,603
922
victims in cases where investigation has been concluded as of January 9, 2017
victims in cases of deaths under investigation as of January 9, 2017
BY PROMINENT PEOPLE
"Go out in the streets, ask people if they feel safe. If they [say they don’t], then we’re a failure. If they [say they do], then we’re successful. I can honestly tell you: People in the streets say they do feel safer now,”
"It’d be the height of arrogance if our government would resume its most murderous war on drugs without correcting its defects, without getting rid of corrupt policemen, and without making them accountable for their crimes,”
"If we only study the drug campaigns around the world, we will see that the countries that used violence in combating drugs never succeeded. Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico —these countries used force, they fought fire with fire. Many lives were lost but they were not successful. Who were successful? One of those is Portugal. What did Portugal do? Portugal found a system to combat drugs that was peaceful and orderly. They reformed their laws; they strengthened rehabilitation [of addicts]; they fixed their institutions responsible for rehabilitating. They were triumphant"
"I would say that we are successful. I would like to say, and I am happy to report, that while we have done so much, well so much more has to be done,”
"We, your bishops, are deeply concerned due to many deaths and killings in the campaign against prohibited drugs. This traffic in illegal drugs needs to be stopped and overcome. But the solution does not lie in the killing of suspected drug users and pushers. We are concerned not only for those who have been killed. The situation of the families of those killed is also cause for concern. Their lives have only become worse. An Additional cause of concern is the reign of terror in many places of the poor. Many are killed not because of drugs. Those who kill them are not brought to account. An even greater cause of concern is the indifference of many to this kind of wrong. It is considered as normal, and, even worse, something that (according to them) needs to be done."
"The kidnapping and murder of a Korean businessman of course has rattled the entire police force and the Duterte administration. They have no choice but to apologize and to ensure that justice will be achieved for the victim but that is just one person. How about the many others who are not as rich as this Korean businessman? How about the ordinary people who have been killed in communities? Who will speak for them and who will fight for justice on their behalf?”
"Help us because you know, it's really difficult for me to sell the Philippines, especially when extrajudicial killings becomes the topic. To the media, please tone down a little the extrajudicial killing (reports). I have a great respect for VP Leni. [But] PH is now becoming a great alternate destination in Asia and the Europe. Yung mga statement na ganun, it really, nahihirapan kami isell ang Philippines."
IN FIRST-HAND VIEW
“Change is coming.”
Three words, but with a variety of meaning for the Filipino people. This famous slogan of Rodrigo Duterte scattered throughout the masses like rain. The people are tired. They wanted so much for a miracle to flip the wretched system upside-down. Thanks to him who awakened their urge to clean up every disorder this country suffers from as they get a taste of its sickness every day.
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He promised to get rid of the filth that is drugs and corruption in a span of three to six months, an incredible feat he dared to achieve even before he got the presidency.
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Nobody told him that rooting these out would become very complicated because no one batted an eye to what substance his words actually contained. He became a symbol of change to everyone that everything he does and every word he uttered is considered as little portions of change that benefitted the country. The Philippines held on to his promise like a thread.
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Unbeknownst to everyone, change, in the name of Duterte was deadly.
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Just after his oath-taking as president, Duterte urged not only the law enforcement but the ordinary people to kill suspected criminals. Swearing that his six years of reign will be “dark.” Thus starting the infamous drug war that claimed the lives of many Filipinos, convicted or not.
The poor were the ones frequently hunted by self-proclaimed vigilantes aside from the police. They uphold their own definition of peace and reform by killing lives in cold blood.
One of their victims was the father of Angelito P. Angeles Jr.
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“I knew my father as a good man with no vices,” his son recalled.
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Residing in the slums of Caloocan, Angelito Jr. knew that his father could not be involved to any crime, especially concerning drugs.
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“He was killed on September 12 by three men wearing bonnets who mercilessly shot him repeatedly after breaking in to our home,” he said.
Despite the accusations revolving around his father being a “runaway suspect,” Angelito firmly believes that his father died innocent.
However, The Philippine National Police (PNP) see this as cleanse against crime and corruption in the country nonetheless.
Many had condemned Duterte’s ruthless war against drugs. Among them is the Catholic Church, with its governing presence in this Christian country.
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“Crime will be repelled and that’s fine,” according to Fr. Fernando Carpio of Quiapo church. “But killing the person because of his crime, that’s different. What he (Duterte) is doing is wrong,” the priest continued.
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The Catholic Church too, did not survive Duterte’s insults as he addressed them as “full of shit” in defense of his war on drugs.
“I challenge you now. I challenge the Catholic Church. You are full of shit. You all smell bad, corruption and all,” said by President Duterte last January.
Even ex-convicts such as Rodel believes that the President is steering the wrong way with his drug war.
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“I was convicted for 10 years, it’s hard to be in prison but it changes you,” he said. “I believe in what Duterte is doing but these people do not deserve to be killed like animals.”
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There is change without violence, it’s just that the president took that option out of his considerations. Just recently he admitted that he ‘miscalculated’ and now wants to extend the 6-month deadline to another 6-month deadline, which means another period of false accusations and killings.
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The hard truth is: crime can’t be solved within three to six months, change doesn’t happen overnight and believe it or not, Duterte knew it. As Fr. Carpio had said, it’s the disease that needs to be cured rather than killing the diseased.
WRITERS:
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BEA PATRICE VILLA (IN NUMBERS | BY PROMINENT PEOPLE)
GIA CATIMBANG (IN FIRST-HAND VIEW)
VIANCA GAMBOA (IN SUMMARY)
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CONTENTS:
ARJANE MAE SAYSON (SITE EDITOR | ILLUSTRATOR)
FOR THIS PROJECT:
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ENTERTAINMENT
IN SUMMARY
"ALL OF YOU WHO ARE INTO DRUGS, YOU SONS OF BITCHES, I WILL REALLY KILL YOU"
“War on drugs” commenced when President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office on June 30, 2016, which caused the death of almost 7,000 people as of time, most of the urban poor area. 2,503 of them were alleged drug pushers and users killed by the Philippine National Police. The series of extrajudicial killings was proven more inhumane as appalling 3,603 people were killed by unidentified gunmen, filed under "vigilante killings". It was no secret it's the President's promise to eradicate drugs and perpetrators at bay, from its "humble" beginning, the infamous Davao Death Squad (DDS), brought to a nationwide scale and all kept with a clear footnote to "forget the laws on human rights" for the sake and safety of our "good" countrymen.
This whole "war on drugs" thing is a treasure trove of controversies, countless holes and questions, impunity and human rights violation. Duterte admitted that some of the killings in his city were from his own hands. It gained a major worldwide backlash like how U.N. High Commissioner of Human Rights Public Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein call out Duterte and wants him to be investigated for murder. Public officials who proclaimed themselves opponents of Duterte's problematic battle against drugs include; controversial senator herself Leila de Lima who's known to have a feud with the president ever since believes Duterte is a "sociopathic killer" and has a "criminal mind, Senator and advocate of human rights Risa Hontiveros who's been nothing but vocal about her disgust over Duterte's manipulation on PNP, his presidency in general and war on drugs, clearly stating her dismay that it "somehow remains either popular or accepted or unchallenged by a larger part of our people." Protests in the social media and on the streets became very much relevant. Students even pioneered a carboard justice movement wherein they walked around their campus wearing a cardboard that says "Lahat tayo posibleng drug pusher" implying that everyone can become victims of extrajudicial killings because it lacks due process that can prove a person guilty or otherwise.