Questionable data
A statement like this would only come from PNP chief Gen. Dela Rosa. According to him, those criticizing the bloody war on drugs are ingrates for not appreciating the fruits of their war on illegal drugs. The PNP claims that the crime rate has gone down by about 7 percent, thanks to their efforts against drugs. For Dela Rosa to say that people are ungrateful of what they do would imply that the people are indeed obligated to appreciate their work and the so-called results they produce. But isn't the suppression of crime the core duty and responsibility of the PNP? Isn't this what they signed up for? So is it the obligation of the citizenry to be thankful, otherwise be labeled as ingrates?
What he does not mention is the almost everyday occurrence of murders by unknown assailants, aside from those killed in supposedly legitimate police operations. The fact is that nowadays, it seems so easy to kill people. Just provide a cardboard sign, wrap the head with packaging tape or conveniently leave a few sachets of drugs and the deaths become acceptable, with further investigation by authorities no longer warranted. Or say that the person killed was involved, or used to be involved in illegal drugs and just chalk it up as another "success" in the war against drugs. Note that it has always been tagged as a war against drugs, and not a war against crime.
The PNP's data is being questioned, in light of their recent pronouncements that no extrajudicial killings (EJK) have occurred under the Duterte administration, after initially mentioning a single case. Right. If there are no EJK cases under Duterte, what exactly are the killings committed every day? What are we to make of the killing of Kian delos Santos, Carl Angelo Arnaiz, and even Reynaldo de Guzman plus countless others? There may be a decrease in the number of petty crimes, but murder is definitely way up there.
And it seems that businessmen from the international community are taking notice. According to figures from the Central Bank of the Philippines, the number of foreign investors fell by 90 percent, compared to last year. That's huge. It is clear there is a reason why foreign investors are avoiding the country. Are the daily killings related to this slump in investors? Perhaps I can offer an analogy. If a restaurant has a great location, with a clean, beautiful and classy ambience and rumored to serve good food, but then you see a single, big rat transferring from table to table, would you still eat there?
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