2016 Philippines Extrajudicial Killings
At the entrance of Ilagan sanctuary, a large cross stood jutting into the sky while a little chapel sat a few away from its foot. “Angelo Gonzales. Carlo Samoza. Christopher DelaCruz.” A booming voice reads aloud a list of names into the microphone of the chapel. My Mum and Aunt chatter away quietly in Ilocano, their gaze fixed on the people inside the chapel. An infectious nervous energy filled the air around us — a stark contrast between the peaceful church service that happened that very morning in the same chapel. “Ma,” I asked, “What are they doing? Who are those people?” “Drug pushers, darling ko.”
In the summer of 2016, Philippines was going through social and political reform under its freshly minted President Roderigo Duterte. The new president had announced a war on drugs.“We will not stop until the last drug lord… and the last pusher has surrendered, put either behind bars or below the ground if they so wish,” he vowed. During his campaign, the man nicknamed “The Punisher” repeatedly promised that the fish in Manila Bay would grow fat from feeding on criminal corpses. Not only did Duterte order police to adopt a shoot-to-kill policy, but he also encouraged citizens to take action. In speeches made after his inauguration, the President urged armed citizens to kill suspected drug pushers and addicts. “Do it yourselves if you have guns, you have my support,” he told them. “If you know of any addicts, go ahead and kill them yourself as getting their parents to do it would be too painful.”
Seven weeks since Duterte took office on June 30, nearly 2000 alleged criminals have died at the hands of police or under mysterious circumstances without any semblance of due process. Sometimes the heads of those killed are found bound in duct tape. Often, bodies are strewn with cardboard signs with slogans reading “I’m a drug pusher, don’t be like me”. The names read in the chapel were of those who, terrified by Duterte’s threats, surrendered. Some for fear of death. Some in exchange for a lighter sentence or immunity. There were so many people surrendering across the country that local police authorities had to borrow venues to handle the cases.
Many outside the Philippines have difficulty understanding why this president who appears to support extrajudicial killings holds such popular sentiment and high approval. I myself struggle to understand. My own Mother is a supporter of his. I asked for her opinion, and she told me this, “After unending cycles of corrupt presidents and politicians who have done little to improve the country’s condition, Filipinos are desperate. There needs to be a change. We want someone who isn’t afraid to do whatever it takes to fix the problems of the country.” Duterte’s tougher measures and no holds barred approach to the political establishment has sealed the trust of those who long for stability. When nothing else has worked, so far Duterte’s “ends” seems to outweigh his “means”.
*Disclaimer: Names are changed and fabricated to protect people’s privacy.*
