“YOU can’t stop me,” declared Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, despite the criticism from international organizations like the United Nations and the Human Rights Watch, as well as by major international news organizations, for the drug war-related deaths since he took office.
They call the killings a violation of human rights and due process, however, Duterte remains unfazed and vows to continue the fight against drug dealers, pushers, and all those in power who are in cahoots with them in this “pandemic.”
Almost 1,800 people have died in Duterte’s war on drugs, as the president himself has given the police the order and the power to shoot to kill those who will resist arrest and fight back. While he contended that not all of those who died were killed by the police and claimed that some could have been murdered by drug lords, Duterte conceded that there may be those who were killed by police even when they did not pose any violent threat. The president said these cases would be investigated and be brought to justice.
But when confronted with accusations of violating the human rights of those killed by police, Duterte argued that he is just doing his job to bring about real change and solve the most pressing problems of the country, even if it means he might be made accountable and suffer the consequences of his brazen and unconventional policies and actions.
Duterte also said he is duty bound as elected president of the Philippines to protect the people from criminals, as well as the lives of the police and the military that help him in this war against drugs and criminality.
The Duterte administration points out that more than 600,000 drug dealers and pushers have surrendered, and this they argue is a testament to the fact that the president is on the right track in delivering what he promised the Filipino people when he was campaigning.
As kababayans in the United States have been following this disturbing news about the Philippines, a big majority of Filipinos in America are behind him in his war against drugs.
In the latest online viewer poll of The Filipino Channel’s daily newscast “Balitang America, 75 percent of those who voted said they support Duterte’s “shoot to kill” order in his war against terror, and give the president their full trust and confidence in the way he is governing the country.
Do you support Duterte’s war against drugs and how is waging it at all costs?
* * *
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
