EVEN U.S. President Barack Obama has raised concern about the recent statements of Philippine Pres. Rodrigo Duterte and his war on drugs, which has already claimed the lives of more than 1,800 people since Duterte took office.
Obama is set to meet with Duterte in Laos next week to talk about the alleged issue of human rights violations with the Philippine president who has blatantly said “No one can stop me!”, when confronted with criticisms and questions on his controversial fight against the drug menace in the Philippines.
Many kababayans in the Philippines — who are opposed to Duterte’s means to achieve his end of eradicating drugs and criminality in the country — have been criticizing Filipinos in America who support Duterte’s policy and action.
Duterte won by a big margin in North America in the May 2016 Presidential Elections.
In a recent viewer poll of The Filipino Channel’s daily newscast “Balitang America,” a big majority (75 percent) of those who voted agree with Duterte’s “shoot-to-kill order,” which grants the right for police officers to kill drug dealers, pushers and traders who resist arrest and fight back violently.
Here are some of the comments of kababayans shared about this contentious issue, which have been presented and edited for clarity:
“It’s a question of tipping point of the Filipinos before they resist the killings. Maybe the 1,900 is still too small. And maybe the respondents are too far [from] or are not connected [to] the people living in the slums who got hit by vigilantes and police.” — Ago Pedalizo
“Well what did you expect? Of course, there will be casualties on both sides. It’s war. on drugs. casualties of war. for the greater good.” — JP Pat
“The problem is not that good cops kill the drug users or drug dealers, but the corrupt cops that need to silence their distributors, their users, the pushers they protected or else they will be reported on. Also, the problem with the law is when there are corrupt lawyers and judges in the system that dismiss the criminals cases. Where were the human rights advocates when there were innocent people getting robbed or killed by users or dealers…if the dealers or users were innocent, they would not put up a fight let alone start shooting at cops, but comply like those that volunteered to surrender. By fighting with cops, it shows an admission of guilt and places good cops lives in danger. What about the human rights of the good cops or good politicians that have been killed by the bad people.You must realize there are people that don’t want to make the Philippines a better country. Look at Japan, Korea, and some other countries that are now thriving. Wouldn’t you want to be proud [of the] Philippines to get out of third world country status? And as Duterte said why doesn’t Human rights talk about the war in Syria or Iraq or even the innocent African Americans that are shot and are already having hands up or have done nothing wrong and get killed for no reason? Double standards?” — Gerald Cabildo
“Everyone wants drug pushers and other criminals off the street. But, we are a society of laws. I believe due process should be observed. However, if the suspects resist arrest and fight back that could endanger the lives, not only of the police officers, but the innocent bystanders, then yes, I agree with it. Sadly, that is not what I see happening right now. Suspects are killed even when they are not fighting. Most of the extra-judicial killings recently were done execution style. Extra-judicial killings create opportunities for corruption, abuse of power, and brutality because cover ups happen, no clear evidence is presented, and there simply is no check and balance.” — Roselle Alejandro Enriquez
“Yung mga nahuhuling Chinese at mga ibang mayayaman na drug lords buhay pa…pero yung mga mahihirap at tunay na mga biktima ng droga yun ang mga shoot to kill…bulok na sistema!” — Renz Epilef
“How do you know kung nanlaban ang mga tao’ng pinatay? Bitayin ang ang lahat na drug lords at mga kriminal, wala akong paki doon. Pero bakit si Peter Lim buhay na buhay pa? Selective due process ba? Wow! Point ko lang…Addiction is an illness na dapat gamutin, to make it fair and square. Dapat isali na rin d’yan ang mga adik sa sugal, adik sa alcohol, adik sa pain medication, at adik sa sex (mga tao’ng mahilig manghalik,mambabae at maraming kalaguyo)…kung sa palagay ninyong makatwiran ang nangyayari ngayon. At isa pa…ang rapist,nakadrugs man o hindi…kung may pagkakataon,mangre-rape pa rin!” — Lawrence Enriquez
“Economic consequence [of Duterte’s war on drugs]? Peace and order if achieved will invite more investors, incite OFWs to go home. More new hires for BPO industry…as Filipinos now can trust the police and feel safer than ever.” — Percy Flores
“My thought is that: none of us have the right to even comment as we all see what is going on as by standers…not unless of course, if we put ourselves into the shoes of parents and families that have been victims for over 3 decades at least in living and accepting graft, corruption, drugs, mass killings by private armies, etc. Sad to say, since most of us Filipinos grew up with this hopeless society, it is now embedded in our mind and heart — accepting that it is now a culture of the Filipinos living this way. Either another big cathostrophic [event] happens or this BIG change is now happening for a BIG change. There is something deeper going on is this plan for change in our beloved country, the Philippines.” — Erich Joseph Alcedo
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Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
