I’ve had enough

That’s it. I just can’t take it. There is too much blood being shed in a day. Just today, another guard was shot dead. Earlier this morning, I rushed to Balamban to confirm the death of two men whose remains were thrown beside the street. Nobody knew who they were as of this writing. A witness said that two were tied and shot dead. He heard them plea for their lives in vain.

There is always a person dead these days. We can’t attribute the cause to any group or organization. As the police investigate, the common reason to cite as a motive is illegal drugs. Despite backgrounds and variety in the personalities of each victim, they all seem to have come from the same group –one that is involved in the drug trade.

We have heard how the president called out to the authorities to continue the war on drugs. As it intensifies, others are being killed along the way. Others are being gunned down by unidentified assailants. Is the drug situation really that worse that we should take human lives?

I have always believed that this country is a democracy and everyone has to have due process. But if the easiest way to protect information among certain drug groups is to kill their own people, then there is no democracy at all. It has long been dead. I pity the little children who have always thought that Cebu is safe for them. Well, it is not. The mayor tagged it as a “criminal city.” The regional office has criticized this remark and told reporters that they are trying their best to solve every incident. Really, now? I just hope so.

A lot of people come up to me and ask me if I fear for my safety. Somehow I have reached the point where my answers are almost mechanical because it is a yes. Anybody could pin someone down, with no legal basis, whatsoever. I do not only fear for my own life, but for those who are dear to me as well. Although I know that none of the people in my circle are involved in any illegal trade, yet the cases of mistaken identity is also likely to happen. It could only get worse as it happens.

We all have limits –to the food we eat, the feelings we express and the sentiments that we share. I will always carry with me the fight for the right of the person to live. Whether or not an organization will fight this out in court, there is always an inherent right for anybody to live peacefully. If only I get to share the same sentiments with those who are skeptical about the current happenings, I could blabber on. But as for now, we leave it as this. We are all in a situation that we never asked for. We all need a rest. I wish we could take a permanent rest from all these killings.