Could it be that the Duterte administration’s war on drugs that has riled up so many people here and abroad is different to different people? Perhaps it is wrong to use the catch-all tag “war on drugs” because people are not talking about the same thing.
The biggest negative connotation when talking about Duterte’s war on drugs is extra-judicial killings. There is an impression the President is not only condoning, but also encouraging the police to just shoot drug suspects dead.
Some people see Duterte turning a blind eye on EJK because it produces quick measurable results (dead bodies of subhuman druggies). Given the weaknesses of our judicial system, it is a permanent solution (dead druggies) that saves time and money of taxpayers (don’t have to feed them in jail, don’t have to spend prosecution costs).
But EJK goes against the constitutional presumption of innocence and the Universal Declaration on Human Rights adopted by the United Nations. While some guilty druggies are killed, there will certainly be innocent people killed as well… it could be anyone… it could be someone you love or it could be you.
It is wrong to say sorry na lang as the victims (like those children) end up as collateral damage. One innocent life lost is one too many, under the rules and principles by which our society and the civilized world exists.
Then again, President Duterte has time and again said he is against extra judicial killings and his Foreign Secretary reiterated that before the United Nations last week. But Duterte has also said the police should not hesitate to shoot and kill, if threatened. Unfortunately, some police elements seem to have taken this to mean they can be judge and jury with the power to take a suspect’s life.
Worse, the police force has a lot of ninja cops – or cops involved in the drug trade. These scalawags will not hesitate to use Duterte’s marching orders to eliminate rivals as well as anyone who has enough knowledge to link them to the illicit trade. It is so easy for these cops to claim they shot someone in self defense.
Sometimes, the cops are just hopelessly criminal. The killing of an OFW in Cavite after he was apprehended by cops (seen on CCTV) sends a chilling message to the citizenry about the danger of trusting cops.
The case of the pedicab driver who was interrogated by Malate cops and later shot with another victim and left for dead is another chilling case. That the victim survived to tell the tale doesn’t do much to instill confidence in the police.
The authorities must differentiate the legitimate war on drugs from the extra judicial killings. Authorities can win back confidence if they fast track the investigation of these suspicious killings where the police are involved.
Anyone who has seen the evening newscast reports of, for example these cases in Cavite and Malate, will never look at a cop and see someone who will protect his life.
Then there are the bodies dumped in the streets bundled up with packing tape and the all familiar cardboard signs accusing the victims of drug dealing. This shows lawlessness in our streets, suggesting our police have lost control. Have they solved a single case of these cardboard killings?
Like those cardboard killings, the drive-by shooting by gunmen riding in tandem on motorcycles must also get credible resolutions. These are plain and simple murder cases the police have an obligation to solve. That’s what the police detectives are for… that’s what their intelligence fund is for.
When I was covering the police beat in my early years in journalism, the detective bureau of the Manila Police was legendary. They were a bunch of no-nonsense professionals who took their jobs seriously.
The cops in the Detective Bureau solved case after case with such confidence that their life stories inspired movie screenplays. The civilians were the real police who learned police work on the job rather than studied in a military academy.
So, where are we now? My colleagues at the ABS-CBN newsroom categorized the fatalities tagged in drugs by the way they were killed:
1) Killed during police operations: the alleged drug suspects were killed by policemen in anti-illegal drug operations (such as buy-bust operations, Oplan Tokhang, Oplan Galugad etc.) that reportedly escalated to a shootout. This category also includes those killed by policemen after the alleged drug suspects were reportedly caught in the act of engaging in suspected illegal activities, whether drug-related or not.
2) Killed by unidentified assailants: the individuals tagged in drugs were killed by unidentified assailants in shooting incidents or by motorcycle-riding gunmen. The incident was either witnessed by other people or captured on CCTV.
3) Bodies found away from the crime scene: The body either bears a label tagging them in drug-related activities (usually a cardboard bearing the words “drug pusher” “drug user” or “drug addict”) or there are reportedly illegal drugs recovered from the body. The victims’ faces and bodies usually bear gunshot wounds, and sometimes even stab wounds. The victims’ arms or legs, or both, are also usually bound and their bodies wrapped with tape.
On the basis of these categories, the investigative unit of the ABS-CBN newsroom tallied the deaths as of Sept. 23 as follows: police operations, 1,020; unidentified assailants 581, and bodies found away from crime scene, 133.
PhilStar reports that according to the PNP, 1,138 drug personalities were killed nationwide following the implementation of “Oplan Double Barrel” from July 1 to Sept.17 this year. The PNP also reported that 17,319 drug personalities were arrested in 18,832 police operations over the same period.
Rappler reports that from July 1 till the 3rd week of September, there have been 3,374 deaths linked to the “war on drugs” – both from legitimate police operations and vigilante-style or unexplained killings (including deaths under investigation). Of these 1,234 drug personalities killed in police operations, as of Sept. 25; 2,140 victims of vigilante-style killings, as of Sept. 20.
Right now all these victims are lumped under Duterte’s war on drugs. But how many of those so called vigilante style killings are really related to the war on drugs? It would seem that some criminal elements are riding on the administration’s war on drugs to settle scores or do contract killings. These are murder cases, plain and simple.
Vigilante killings are not extra judicial killings precisely because we do not know who and why. Extra judicial killings must involve the police acting as judge and executioner.
Mr. Duterte cannot deny, as he did last Monday, that there is no extra judicial killing in the country. Of course there is, and we can be sure he knows. He must do more to show he is against it.
How many of those who died in presumably legitimate police operations are victims of extra judicial killing by cops who are cleaning up their trail of illegal drug dealing?
Our people only want to live in peace and security and will always support Duterte’s war against those in the illegal drugs trade. Some of us will even support a quick trial and after showing sufficient evidence, summary execution, assuming ban on capital punishment is lifted. After all, society will be better off without those drug personalities.
But for so long as these cardboard murders remain unresolved, there is a sense of insecurity among citizens and distrust of the police… even more so if police involvement in suspicious cases remains unattended.
The messaging from Duterte and General Bato contributes to the misimpression. The war on drugs must be redefined by no less than the President and his police chief.
And beyond a verbal redefinition, they must redefine this war on the basis of solid police action on the suspicious cases that mar the integrity of a legitimate drive.
Boo Chanco’s e-mail address is bchanco@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @boochanco.