The extrajudicial killings (EJKs) in the name of President Duterte’s drug war have reached thousands. But has this administration solved the problem? “Shabu” just keeps coming in. (In fairness to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, some of the shipments have been intercepted.)
These days, the President is into brandishing “narcolists.” Mayors and other public officials, even police officials, are on the lists. Judges and celebrities, too. The lists remain pending, waiting for validation, officials say. But this process of validation was not, is not, applied on the powerless and the helpless. They were/are simply shot to death by extrajudicial means.
Church leaders and bishops have denounced the EJKs. And for doing so, they reap the most horrible and vile counterattacks from the President.
Months ago, he warned that his drug war would become even more chilling. But, perhaps seeing now that “tokhang” is not the solution, the President has begun to say he is getting tired and cannot do anything anymore.
But that’s like saying the merciless, violent “tokhang” operations were just an experiment (though he does not say he is giving them up). A mindless, terrifying experiment that has cost thousands of lives, with families and local communities bearing the pain, the fear, the anger.
Will we see any kind, any gesture, of apology or compensation from the President for this?
SISTER MARISSA PIRAMIDE, OSB
Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing
Manila Priory