1. Threat to Human Security
During this threat to human security that entails the systemic protection and promotion of fundamental freedoms and societal processes for human survival and a secured livelihood with dignity,[1] the dissenting lamentations from the grassroots are heartrending: “I do not agree with such killing. There are so many ninja cops around in civilian clothes at the administrative office who kill cops for their involvement in shabu,” a provincial administrator retorted in disgust. A taxi driver remarked in desperation, “it really is too much. Everyday people are being killed. Just today I have seen 4-5 bodies lying on the streets. These are youngsters” (talagang sobra na ito. araw-araw may taong pinapatay. ngayong araw lang, may nakita akong 4-5 bangkay sa kalye. mga bata pa sila).[2] Jonathan Head of the BBC report disclosed that women were part of the hit team. Maria (not her real name) confesses to carrying out contract killings as part of Mr. Duterte’s brutal campaign against illegal drugs. Maria claimed she has killed five people, shooting them all in the head, bringing her kills to six after the first job she did two years ago.[3]
EJK has threatened the human security of the ordinary citizens from the poor neighborhoods. The 2012 National Household Survey estimated that there are 1.3 million drug users nation-wide while 8,629 out 42,065 (20%) of barangay’s are drug infested, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. The “Philippine Daily Inquirer’s “Kill List” of victims of extrajudicial killings in the anti-drug campaign shows the overwhelming majority are from poor neighborhoods and of modest means, suggesting the war on drugs is actually a war against the poor.”[4] Even teenagers and minors therein are not spared, with the summary killing of Kian Delos Santos, 17; Carl Angelo Arniaz, 10; Reynaldo de Guzman, 14; and Grace Omadlao, 16. The consistent decline by 20 points in the level of satisfaction with the performance of the administration in its campaign on illegal drugs further indicates the heightening level of human insecurity. This insecurity registers a high of 73% in the March 2017 Social Weather Survey of those who feels that they could become a victim of EJK.[5] This drop signifies that a solid majority of 53 percent of the citizenry who are 18 years and above are fearful of their security for they agreed with the statement that “Hindi pinapatay any mya mayayaman na drug pusher; any mga pinapatay ay ang mahirap lamang (Rich drug pushers are not killed; only the poor ones are killed).”[6] In this quagmire of EJK, the security of the drug cartels, from the Filipino-Chinese, the African and the Mexican Sinaloa drug syndicates that supply raw materials or finished products to Filipino-Chinese distributors are being safeguarded.[7]
[1] Cf. HUMAN SECURITY IN THEORY AND PRACTICE: An Overview of the Human Security Concept and the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security. In Chapter 1 – The Concept of Human Security and its Added Value, the Commission on Human Security, in its final report, Human Security Now, defines human security as: “…to protect the vital core of all human lives in ways that enhance human freedoms and human fulfillment. Human security means protecting fundamental freedoms – freedoms that are the essence of life. It means protecting people from critical (severe) and pervasive (widespread) threats and situations. It means using processes that build on people’s strengths and aspirations. It means creating political, social, environmental, economic, military and cultural systems that together give people the building blocks of survival, livelihood and dignity.” (CHS: 2003: 4).
[2] Conversation with a cab driver, Quezon City, 28 Sept 2016.
[3] Cf. Philippine Daily Inquirer, 2 Sept 2016.
[4] Cf. Mark R. Thompson, “Duterte’s bloody democracy.” At http://asia.nikkei.com/.
[5] Cf. ‘Satisfaction’ with war on drugs drop-SWS Survey. At https://www.rappler.com/nation/167269-sws-survey-war-on-drugs-march-2017.
[6] Personal interview with Atty. Jacqueline Ann C. de Quia at the Commission on Human Rights, Director, Public Affairs and Strategic Communication Officer, Commission on Human Rights, November 2, 2017. Cf., 1st Quarter 2017 Social Weather Survey SWS SPECIAL REPORT.
[7] Cf. Revised Powerpoint of Fr. Manoling Francisco, SJ that was originally delivered at the Loyola School of Theology, Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines, 14 Sep 2016.