Pubdate: Sun, 24 Jul 2016
Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer (Philippines)
Copyright: 2016 Philippine Daily Inquirer
Contact:  http://www.inquirer.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1073
Author: Rina Jimenez-David

A CRISIS OF FAITH

"LET US not allow violence to rule us but in every circumstance be 
vigilant and zealous in upholding the dignity and rights of all as 
befit responsible citizens and followers of Christ" is the plea in a 
"pastoral letter" issued by La Sallian Br. Jose Mari Jimenez FSC (no 
relation, as far as I know). Jimenez, who is president of De La Salle 
Philippines and auxiliary visitor (a regional supervisory post) for 
the De La Salle Brothers, thus joined other voices raised in concern 
over the number of people killed as part of the Duterte 
administration's deadly and bloody antidrug campaign.

True, these voices have been muted so far, largely ignored, drowned 
out by contrary views and official encouragement of extrajudicial 
killings (no formal charges, no trials). But while alarming, the 408 
casualties counted in a mere five days (May 10-15) so far, said 
Jimenez, are not the biggest reason for his concern. Rather, he says, 
"what troubles me even more as an educator is the absence of a 
significant public outcry against the blatant contempt for human life 
and the rule of law that these extrajudicial killings represent."

Without naming names, Jimenez says he is "deeply disturbed" by the 
killings, since this "disregard for the inalienable value of human 
life and the public silence that gives tacit support for such 
disregard does not bode well for the vision of a just and humane 
society enshrined in our Constitution."

What the killings demonstrate, he adds, "is how desperate many people 
have become in the face of the issues of drugs and criminality. The 
approval of so-called solutions that deny the sanctity of human life 
and respect for each person's right to due process amounts to a 
crisis of faith in the possibility of governing our nation by reason 
and the rule of law."

IMMEDIATELY, though it's not clear if President Duterte had already 
read the letter when he spoke in Maguindanao, Jimenez's and others' 
criticisms of the deadly toll taken by the antidrug campaign were met 
by official anger and ire.

Reacting to observations that so far no "big fish" had been hauled in 
by the campaign, Mr. Duterte asked rhetorically: "Where will I get 
the big fish?" Indeed, many had observed that the great majority of 
the dead-some wrapped methodically with packing tape and even bearing 
placards proclaiming their guilt, or else left to fester under the 
hot sun out on the streets-belong to the poorest sectors of society. 
I even saw a photo on social media showing the body of a suspect 
lying in a pool of blood in a busy city street with children looking 
on passively, if not indifferently.

"These people," said the President, referring to his critics, "keep 
on writing [about the small-time haul]. They think they know a lot. 
They keep asking why only the small fish are being arrested." The 
reason, he implied, is that "I have to invade a country to arrest the 
drug lords," without naming the country that allegedly coddles the 
drug dealers, though he added that "obviously, it is known to you."

*

AS if on cue, earlier Friday, PNP Director General Ronald dela Rosa 
announced that a "big-time" drug lord and shabu laboratory operator 
had been killed in a shoot-out with police in Valenzuela City. The 
alleged "big fish" was identified as Meco Tan, whowas said to be a 
"high-value" target of the police force and who had been operating in 
the country for almost eight years. "He was responsible for putting 
up drug laboratories, shabu laboratories here in Metro Manila," 
"Bato" dela Rosa told the media.

In an account that has become eerily familiar these days, the police 
were about to serve a search warrant on Tan when he fled his home and 
exchanged fire with the raiding party. Seven other Chinese were 
arrested in the same operation, caught inside a drug laboratory.

And of course the PNP chief was ready with the declaration that Tan's 
killing was "proof" that the police also go after high-value targets, 
lamenting how the police were being criticized for going after the 
"low-hanging fruit" of the drug trade: dealers, pushers and users.

*

INSTEAD of showing remorse for the hundreds of deaths, or even 
cautioning police against too reckless use of firearms, the President 
seems to have hardened his resolve.

"That's the problem with Filipinos," he told his audience in 
Maguindanao. "Many pretend to be bright when they are not."

Two years ago, the President noted, the Philippine Drug Enforcement 
Agency placed the number of drug users and pushers in the country at 
2 million. That number has since risen to 3.7 million, he said.

So what is the President's message? That he and the law enforcement 
agencies under his command will not stop the bloodbath until all 3.7 
million of these druggies are eliminated?

The PNP has even noted with pride that crime rates have gone down 
even during the antidrug campaign. But, sure, petty crimes may have 
been reduced. But matching the decline in thievery, bag snatchings 
and street fights has been an incredible rise in the number of 
murders, shootings and executions.

Dela Rosa has even suggested that many of the killings were part of 
"internal" rivalries among the drug networks, with bosses going after 
small-time snitches. But if so, then why haven't any hit men or goons 
been arrested or questioned? Andwill they get their day in court, or 
be simply executed on the streets, too?

Let me give Jimenez the final word: "We need to remind everyone that 
if we want a just and peaceful society, our means must partake of our 
ends. You cannot build a culture that respects life while relying 
principally on the instruments of death."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom