‘Sino nga ba ang dapat sisihin sa pagmakamatay ng libu-libong Pinoy sa drug war ni Duterte?’

KIAN LOYD DELOS SANTOS

AS a Facebook follower, I bumped into a beautiful item from my anak Dranreb Belleza’s wall regarding Ms. Katrina Vallejo Lagman’s thoughts on current political issues na bumabalot sa administrasyon ni Pangulong Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

Sarap pakinggan ng name niya, ‘no? Sounds very decent and interesting. Parang sa tunog pa lang ng pangalan niya, dadalhin ang bansa natin sa pinakamatayog na pedestal dala ng maraming pagbabago. Yes, that’s his promise during the campaign period pero looks like taliwas naman ang kaganapan of late.

Kungsabagay, since day one naman ng kaniyang pamamahala, isa lang ang pinagtuunan niya ng pansin – ang kanyang war on drugs. Something na very alarming nga naman sa bansa.

Our president did many – cursed the Pope, fought the human rights advocates, bastusin ang ilang mga rape victims, parunggitan ang LGBT community, murahin ang dating allies ng bansa, talakan ang United Nations, etcetera, etcetera. Mga bagay na ni sa hinagap natin ay hindi kayang gawin ng sinumang serviceman lalo pa’t isang pangulo ng bansa.

Ang huli naman niyang dialogue ay bababa siya sa puwesto pag napatunayang sangkot ang anak niya sa P6.4 billion drug smuggling sa BoC kung saan ikinanta ang pangalan niya as an alleged protector nito.

Anyway, narito ang ilang bahagi ng nabasa naming mahabang post sa FB wall ni Dranreb about the present administration: “It took much thought before I could post this. In fact, for the past year, I’ve hardly posted anything at all. I sincerely wanted to give the President a chance. Even when all my worst fears came true, I bit my tongue because I didn’t want to offend the Duterte supporters I love and respect.

“But as Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen (one of the minority who voted against Ferdinand Marcos’ burial in the Libingan ng mga Bayani) pronounced, ‘We are complicit when we are not critical. We are part of the conspiracy of the powerful if we remain silent.’ It’s one thing to have been hoodwinked by Duterte’s false promises and faux sincerity during the election campaign.

“I can understand the need to turn to someone diametrically opposite to his predecessors, desperately hoping he’d finally bring the change the country needs. It’s quite another thing to still defend him now, after thousands have been murdered, our foreign allies insulted, women and the LGBT denigrated, the economic gains and improving international reputation squandered, and our territory all but handed—arms wide open—to China.

“It doesn’t matter what positive qualities he has, or what his (paltry) achievements are.

“The massacre of thousands of innocents trumps them all. And yes, I said ‘innocent.’ Even if they were notorious drug dealers or known drug addicts, for as long as they were not judged guilty in court, then BY LAW, they were innocent. Not to mention those who were killed because of mistaken identity, someone in power didn’t like them, or—like Kian delos Santos and other children—they just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. If not for Duterte and his abominable drug war, they might all still be alive today.

“So, to those who voted for Duterte and continue to support him: The over 12,000 dead Filipinos, including children, passersby, and others who never touched drugs in their lives? That’s on YOU.

“All the fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, children, and friends left behind by the victims of the drug war? That’s on YOU.

“The burial of the dictator, tyrant, and plunderer Ferdinand Marcos in the Libingan ng Mga Bayani? That’s on YOU.

“The Martial Law in Mindanao and all the abuses that have stemmed from it, as well as the threat of its expansion to the rest of the country? That’s on YOU.

“The strained relations between the Philippines and our Western allies who’ve helped us through the years? That’s on YOU.

“The exit of some foreign businesses and drop in foreign investment? That’s on YOU.

“The anger, guilt, and pain that rape victims suffer whenever your idol makes yet another rape joke or misogynist slur? That’s on YOU.

“The humiliation of the LGBT whenever Duterte—who some of them actually voted for because they were fooled into thinking he was an ally—uses ‘bakla’ as an epithet? That’s on YOU.

“And whatever hellish state the Philippines will be in after five more years of this nightmare? ALL. ON. YOU.

“Bottom line, this is not about Aquino vs. Duterte, Roxas vs. Duterte, Robredo vs. Duterte, or Yellow vs. DDS. This is not even about politics, as those who insist on remaining apolitical aver. This is about humanity, democracy, freedom, decency, and rule of law vs. those who oppose them. Which, unquestionably, Duterte does. And if you continue to stand behind him, so do YOU.”

Nice piece, Ms. Katrina. Thanks for sharing Reb anak. Now, citizens start to speak. We need bigger voices to be heard, shouldn’t we?