THEOLOGY

PRELIMINARY GRADABLE ASSESSMENT

“Violation of Human Rights in the Philippine Context: Extrajudicial Killings (EJK)”

One of President Rodrigo Duterte's campaign promises during the 2016 presidential
elections was to combat crime, the spread of narcotics, and corruption within three to six months
of taking office. He initiated his anti-narcotics campaign immediately after winning the elections,
on June 30, 2016, to address the Philippines' widespread drug problem. President Rodrigo
Duterte ordered the police to kill everyone suspected of being involved in the drug trade,
resulting in the deaths of nearly 7,000 Filipinos in just six months. During his first six months in
office, 34 people were assassinated on average every day.

Extrajudicial executions as a result of the drug war are a violation of everyone's human
rights. Because he/she appears suspicious, a person is slain. The majority of these individuals are
poor city dwellers. Furthermore, the police have been caught fabricating evidence to explain
these heinous murders. Kian Delos Santos, a 17-year-old boy, was shot and killed by police
officers in Caloocan while on a drug bust. They were only compelled to fight back, according to
the police. After a careful inquiry, it was discovered that he was brought to a dark alley and shot
helplessly. They were found guilty of murdering Kian Delos Santos after some time. Despite
this, they were the only cops found guilty of killing someone without cause. Thousands of deaths
continue to be inexcusable. This war on drugs campaign has claimed the lives of many people up
till now.

Human rights are guaranteed to everyone, regardless of social status. Their deaths should
be justifiable, whether they are wealthy or poor. Church leaders in the Philippines have spoken
out against the country's violent drug war. Stop approving the killings and stop squandering
human lives, said the Catholic Church. Life is a gift from God, and only He has the right to
accept it. Only the impoverished, not the individuals who supply it, were blamed, according to
one of the two highest-ranking authorities. The drug war campaign, in my opinion, was a failure,
and it exacerbated our country's situation. It reduced the number of people who had drug issues,
but many others lost loved ones as a result. Extrajudicial killings, in my opinion, violate a
person's human rights. Without the ability to defend yourself, whether in court or violently,
someone is slain. Supporters of the drug war do not place the same emphasis on life that the
church does.

After conducting detailed research into Duterte's drug war, I am convinced that nothing
can ever justify those people's killings. Because it focuses on the poor, the campaign is anti-poor.
They overlook the fact that even the wealthiest people might be involved in the sector. Because
of extrajudicial executions, the Duterte administration has failed the Filipino people. Nothing can
be solved by using violence. We also can't just label someone as a drug dealer suspect. They
should be thoroughly probed, with the ability to defend themselves in any way, as any human
being should have. This problem entails a deeper concept of life in the sense that individuals
believe they can take someone's life away. Humans have such a high opinion of themselves that
they forget that everything they have is a gift from God. God uses restorative justice to discipline
his children. It is a method of repairing harm by allowing those who have been injured and those
who have caused the harm to communicate. Killing someone for bringing harm to others was
never addressed in the Bible. This, I believe, is also why the Catholic Church opposes the death
sentence.

Drugs can be dealt with in a variety of ways, not just through violence. First and
foremost, one can undergo a thorough investigation into someone they suspect and pass
judgment on them based on sufficient facts. Second, the police should concentrate their efforts
on locating the source of it. It will be easier to stop drug trafficking in the Philippines if this is
reduced. When we are unable to find a solution to a problem, we should not turn to violence. We
must remember that every human being, regardless of socioeconomic background, deserves to be
treated with dignity and respect.

References:

Avendaño, C. O., & Aning, J. (2017, August 21). Church calls for end to drug killings.
INQUIRER.net. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/924267/church-calls-for-end-to-drug-killings

Gavilan, J. (2018, November 28). Timeline: Seeking justice for Kian Delos Santos. Rappler.
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/timeline-justice-trial-kian-delos-santos

Philippines drugs war: UN report criticises 'permission to kill'. (2020, June 4). BBC News.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-52917560