Religious activists: Refuse the culture of death, destruction

As months pass under the watch of President Duterte, our mourning over the death of thousands of poor people caused by the bloody “war on drugs” only intensifies. We grieve over the declaration and implementation of martial law in Mindanao. These blend with and further deepen our frustration and disappointment in the unfulfilled promise of change.

Our nation has witnessed the brazenness of state forces in violating human rights. Under the Duterte administration, this has gone as far as ever — sparing no one. The elderly, women and children have all been included. Alarming impunity underscores great fear in the country as we are daily disturbed by continued reports of “bloody” and brutal liquidations of drug users and drug-dependent persons. The police approach in addressing the illegal drug trade has been marked by sowing “terror” in the hearts of the poor and marginalized. Even worse, the bloating of the statistics on drug pushers and drug-dependent persons has cast a wide net to justify wanton violence and illegal activities by police elements. This promulgates a culture of killings and impunity.

Horrible, bloody and fear-inducing stories are leaving yet another generation of orphans and weeping widows with uncertain futures. Terror and anxiety overshadow every member of the family as well as entire communities.

Meanwhile, the continuing aerial bombings and displacement of hundreds of thousands of people is adding to the historic injustice suffered by our Muslim brothers and sisters. The war on so-called terrorism has failed to protect the welfare of the majority, but instead has intensified the suffering of the Mindanaoan. Once again, it promotes the culture of death and destruction.

Martial law in Mindanao and its extension are used to justify militarization and the continuing human rights violations of lumad, workers and peasants. Explicitly disregarding the democratic rights of the people, more evacuations of communities worsen their situation and hamper the atmosphere for peace-building and peace negotiations.

President Duterte is missing the point. He is missing the truth that the poor people, the lumad, the Mindanaoan, the farmers and workers are the people to whom he promised change. He fails to see that these poor and marginalized ones are being victimized by martial law and brutalized by his “war on drugs” and the prevailing culture of death and destruction.

REV. GRACE MASEGMAN, cochair, Promotion of Church People’s Response, [email protected]