The war on drugs op de Filipijnen is een zorg voor ons. Er vinden erg veel moorden plaats door politie en concurerende drugsbendes, mensen worden opgesloten zonder vorm van proces. Vanuit onze Westerse optiek is er erg veel aan te merken op hoe deze President het drugsprobleem denkt op te lossen. Als Hollanders met als achtergrond ons rechtssysteem en drugsbeleid is het nogal bizar wat er daar gebeurd. Ondanks alles staat echter een groot deel van de bevolking achter het beleid van President Duterte. In onderstaand artikel geschreven door onze maatschappelijk werkster beschrijft zij heel goed haar eigen mening en hoe een groot deel van de Filipijnse bevolking denkThe war on drugs op de Filipijnen is een zorg voor ons. Er vinden erg veel moorden plaats door politie en concurerende drugsbendes, mensen worden opgesloten zonder vorm van proces. Vanuit onze Westerse optiek is er erg veel aan te merken op hoe deze President het drugsprobleem denkt op te lossen. Als Hollanders met als achtergrond ons rechtssysteem en drugsbeleid is het nogal bizar wat er daar gebeurd. Ondanks alles staat echter een groot deel van de bevolking achter het beleid van President Duterte. In onderstaand artikel geschreven door onze maatschappelijk werkster beschrijft zij heel goed haar eigen mening en hoe een groot deel van de Filipijnse bevolking denkt.
The war on drugs in the Philippines refers to the drug policy in the Philippines initiated by the Philippine government under Pres. Duterte. Before the presidential election on 2016 Pres. Duterte was outspoken about his vow to embark on a nationwide killings campaign against drug dealers and drug users. War on drugs was the foundation of his presidential electoral platform. Yet 16 million people voted for him and hails him as President of the Philippine Republic, meaning a lot of people viewed his platform as positive and promising.After a year and a half as President and the war on drugs in the Philippines I can say that due to this policy on war on drugs addicts was lessened and a lot of drug Lords has been captured or killed, drug dealers has been killed or arrested. Though war on drugs was criticized locally and internationally for the number of deaths resulting from police operations, and alleged summary executions but still President Duterte is determine and stand firm on his ground.
Positive results accordingly, due to drug war is that supply of illegal drugs in the country was reduced, drug users and dealers surrendered to the authorities and others have been rehabilitated. There were many young people would be changing their lives and live a good life after all. Those who are stubborn and still resist the authorities might be those who died if allegations of the death squads and illegal killings are true.
Negative effects for me is because of the policy, lots of drug syndicate also have made moves to killings drug dealers as well to free themselves for fear of being told to the police about them and blaming the police and authorities for their actions. According to the President the police would not waste their time killing and putting note on a dead that stated ‘I am a drug addict please don’t follow my lead’. Those criminals are using the police and what they say death squads to blame Pres. Duterte as well to the killings. There might be lots of innocent people got killed due to mistaken identity. Abusive police officers use their given power to do whatever they want to do.
Personally I don’t know anyone who got killed or lock-up because of drugs. But if I have relatives who is using drugs I will be happy if she/he will be locked up because he is using illegal drugs, it will be for his/her own good to change his life for the better if he will be rehabilitated. Than hearing someone being rape/hurt or worst got killed because he is not in the right mind because of drug influenced. If someone got killed because he is stubborn and continue using and dealing drugs even there were warnings about it, it is his choice to be killed, so be it.
As a citizen of this country however, in order to avoid this incidents, what we can do is take all the precautions as possible and avoid any involvements of any illegal drugs or any illegal activities. Added to it there might be innocent people got killed because of this war but we also cannot deny the fact that God holds our life either for living and dying. For the fact that you died then that’s the end of your life. God only knows when your life starts and when it will ends. Whatever the reasons for your death if that the ends of it you cannot ask anybody to extend it.
Have a good day and God bless you!
Maylen A. Gurrea, RSW
Social Worker
