Duterte's Summary Execution Policy

[London_Manila]

Duterte's war on drugs has all been done before and this approach has never been proven to produce any real long term reduction in drug use
Thaksin tried the shoot to kill approach in Thailand and look where that got him
Even last week John Kerry had to remind the president and his staff that there is such a thing as human rights

So what has this policy produced so far

Over 350 people murdered by the police
Vigilant groups murdering people
Police ambushing people and murdering them and then giving some lame excuse that there was some big gun battle
in many cases there is no gun battle at all its just summary executions by the police
Local scores being settled by the local henchman and the murdered victim being accused of being a drug pusher

The fact that Duterte thinks that its such a great idea to upgrade his policeman to "on the spot" executioners speaks volumes

I am anti drugs and i always have been and i detest these drug pushers like everyone else but this approach is very short sighted and i predict that this policy will be the downfall of Duterte
Is it so difficult to arrest these drug pushers and put them before the courts where at least they can get a fair trial and if proven guilt locked away for many years

Surely a right and proper justice system is preferred over Duterte's infamous Death Squads

The Philippines seems to be moving to a one man dictatorship now which is a real shame

[Steve.r]

Totally agree

[grahamw48]

The man and his 'policies' make me fearful of actually going to the Philippines.

[Steve.r]

He is a bit dictatorial in my opinion. He should realise that with great power comes great responsibility.

[raynaputi]

A friend of my cousin was gun downed last week. I saw her posts in Facebook about it. The lady was killed inside a jeepney and they still don't know why. She was a 26 y.o. professional I think. I believe her relatives and friends have contacted Gen. Bato (the PNP chief) and they were told that he really doesn't care if there are innocent victims along the lines of these summary execution killings and was laughing even at these instances. Now I don't know if all these are true, but I don't know, these are friends & families of the victims that are seeking justice. They still don't know what the motive of the killing was or if it'll be really get investigated.

[Steve.r]

Sorry to hear that Rayna. Looks like open season and collateral damage means nothing.

[fred]

A friend of my cousin was gun downed last week. I saw her posts in Facebook about it. The lady was killed inside a jeepney and they still don't know why. She was a 26 y.o. professional I think. I believe her relatives and friends have contacted Gen. Bato (the PNP chief) and they were told that he really doesn't care if there are innocent victims along the lines of these summary execution killings and was laughing even at these instances. Now I don't know if all these are true, but I don't know, these are friends & families of the victims that are seeking justice. They still don't know what the motive of the killing was or if it'll be really get investigated.

I also lost a Euro friend that was gunned down by 2 shabu addicts while he was driving along a quiet road with 50K on him on his way to pay his workers..
No one cared about him either..
Then there was my Filipino friend whose son (shabu user) that got shot outside the elementary school that my nieces go to a 1000 meters from my house..The guys that did it were paid hit men of the local drug lord that he owed money too.. No justice in either incident.. Lots of other drug related murder of local cops and ordinary Filipino`s and foreigners that I could mention.
I`m not saying that I think whats going on is OK..I just think most people round here are beginning to feel a lot safer since he took office.
That aside..Many of his anti corruption measures seem worthwhile..To be honest,I`m really impressed with that..
Lets see how it goes.

[fred]

'Bato' to give road rage suspect 'a villain's welcome'


MANILA - The suspect in the road rage killing of a cyclist in Quiapo, Manila last Monday will receive "a villain's welcome" from no less than the chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
In a press briefing on Friday, PNP Chief Director General Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa said Vhon Tanto, who was arrested in Masbate, will be brought to the Manila Police District (MPD) early morning on Saturday.

http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/29/16/bato-to-give-road-rage-suspect-a-villains-welcome

[grahamw48]

Phew... if there's anything left of him after all the kickings.

[stevewool]

It does make you think is this a place i would like to call home, but hopefully by keeping your head down it could be

[London_Manila]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...00-people.html

I am amazed that anyone could think that this is a good idea

I recently returned from the Philippines and there is real fear amongst the locals regarding when these death squads will arrive in their part of town

Duterte has put extreme pressure local polices forces to produce results and if not they will be fired

People are even afraid to speak out about all these murders going on and the Police force seems to be against their own people right now

Some people will always choose to take drugs and going around killing people is not going to change that

[fred]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...00-people.html

I am amazed that anyone could think that this is a good idea

I recent returned from the Philippines and there is real fear amongst the locals regarding when these death squads will arrive in their part of town

Duterte has put extreme pressure local polices forces to produce results and if not they will be fired

People are even afraid to speak out about all these murders going on and the Police force seems to be against their own people right now

Some people will always choose to take drugs and going around killing people is not going to change that

No one seems "afraid" around where we live,except shabu runners..
The NBI raided our mayors house the other day..
After a complete investigation she was completely exonerated..
Seems her political opposition tried to set her up... I guess they will be in trouble now..
Ive never seen anything like it here.

[Terpe]

I seem to be living in different world as I've not experienced anyone living in fear.
In the past 3 weeks we have travelled around pretty extensively. Never heard from anyone about being in fear or about any expected death squads.
Almost everyone we come across however do say what a difference has been made to their neighbourhood as the drug pushers and crackhead have gone.

Word on the street in most places is that the price of shabu has increased by 10 fold simply due to a change in supply and demand.

To be honest gang related murders were always a danger to anyone who happened in the wrong place and the wrong time.
Political murders also peak before and after elections.

I'm sure most folks know about sensationalism and the media.

I'm not talking about the rights or wrongs relating to the crack down on drugs in the Philippines just putting another view on how the majority of people living here feel.

As it stands at the moment, anybody at all, whatever their status or position or connections may be is being challenged about reported links to the drugs trade.

[jonnijon]

All seems to be working where I am, loud music off at 10pm, patrol's visit internet cafe's and bars after 10pm to check all the kids have gone home.

[London_Manila]

http://news.abs-cbn.com/specials/map...e-war-on-drugs

Is there any official opposition party in the Philippines? or does it go along the lines that as Duterte won the election he just does as he likes and few people voice any opposition to what he is doing

http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/27/1...killings-mount

http://news.abs-cbn.com/business/07/...-on-economy-sp

[fred]

http://news.abs-cbn.com/specials/map...e-war-on-drugs

Is there any official opposition party in the Philippines? or does it go along the lines that as Duterte won the election he just does as he likes and few people voice any opposition to what he is doing

http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/27/1...killings-mount

Well you have the woolly Liberals with the same old yellow ribbons on the same old yellow shirts..
The same ones that were in power until just recently...
You know..The guys that handled the Yolanda funds on behalf of those that suffered so badly in Leyte and Tacloban...
You know.. The same guys that allowed penthouse suites,a bar with dancing poles for lap top dancers inside Bilibid prison for the Super wealthy drug lords "locked up" there..
Anyway..That`s the opposition party.

[bigmarco]

Well the people have spoken and they've asked for a different approach. You cannot accuse him of deceit unlike his predecessors.
He clearly laid out how he intended to deal with drugs and the people were happy to vote him in.

[grahamw48]

True.

Time will tell.

It's about time the ordinary Filipino people were given a break.

[London_Manila]

http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/02/1...e-killings-now

i admire her guts for publicly disagreeing with Duterte and his henchmen

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asi...ic/6146854.stm

History has proved these tactics don't work

http://www.ipsnews.net/2007/08/right...-war-on-drugs/

[fred]

http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/02/1...e-killings-now

i admire her guts for publicly disagreeing with Duterte and his henchmen

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asi...ic/6146854.stm

History has proved these tactics don't work

http://www.ipsnews.net/2007/08/right...-war-on-drugs/

De Lima has been accused of being a coddler and protector of drug lords inside the New Bilibid Prisons so I take what she says with a tiny pinch of salt..
How about the human rights of Kevin and Charlene Taylor?? Locked up on remand in a Filipino dungeon for 5 years before being found guilty on a technicality and still locked up..
I could go on about what I think about that useless cow but I`ll leave that to the new administration..

[Arthur Little]

De Lima has been accused of being a coddler and protector of drug lords inside the New Bilibid Prisons so I take what she says with a tiny pinch of salt..
How about the human rights of Kevin and Charlene Taylor?? Locked up on remand in a Filipino dungeon for 5 years before being found guilty on a technicality and still locked up..
I could go on about what I think about that useless cow but I`ll leave that to the new administration..

, Fred! WHY IS it that those so~called "do gooders" are so fond of harping on about the "human rights" of the evil dooers - the dregs ... the scourge of society, who care not a jot how much misery they inflict on their fellow humans - instead of showing anything remotely like the slightest hint of concern and/or compassion for the victims of these crimes or the relentless, ongoing maltreatment of people such as Kevin & Charlene Taylor.

[fred]

, Fred! WHY IS it that those so~called "do gooders" are so fond of harping on about the "human rights" of the evil dooers - the dregs ... the scourge of society, who care not a jot how much misery they inflict on their fellow humans - instead of showing anything remotely like the slightest hint of concern and/or compassion for the victims of these crimes or the relentless, ongoing maltreatment of people such as Kevin & Charlene Taylor.

Because if you look around you,you will see people like Trump,Duterte and Farage (Britex) getting very very popular amongst working class and middle class voters against the woolly liberal consensus B.S that have failed us miserably..
Anyway..Thats how I see it.

[grahamw48]

I'd agree with that Fred.

Also, people/voters are getting more educated about what (including corruption and dirty tricks) is going on in the world around them.

In the West, people are still stinging from the banking crisis and the can of worms that opened.

Then there's the perceived threats from uncontrolled migration, and terrorism on the doosteps of countries right across the world.

At times like this, the man and woman in the street start to look for an honest leader who can direct and protect them.

[London_Manila]

I hope at some stage in the future that Durterte and his chief henchman Bato are are made to pay for their unlawful killings

If anyone thinks that these mass murders are going to rid the Philippines of Drugs then they are living in cloud cuckoo land

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/20...-bounty-offers

South East Asia powder keg countries indeed = a complete fruitcake gets into power and the mass killings start

Pol pot Thaksin and Durterte

[fred]

I hope at some stage in the future that Durterte and his chief henchman Bato are are made to pay for their unlawful killings

If anyone thinks that these mass murders are going to rid the Philippines of Drugs then they are living in cloud cuckoo land

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/20...-bounty-offers

South East Asia powder keg countries indeed = a complete fruitcake gets into power and the mass killings start

Pol pot Thaksin and Durterte

Officially,the Police are killing no one that doesn`t decide to shoot at them first..The rest are the druggies shooting at each other..
To prove otherwise is practically impossible...
Lets see how it goes!!

[London_Manila]

http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/04/1...lvage-killings

I won't hold my breath on this one

He instigated all this in the first place with all his bravado talk impressing the masses

[Terpe]

http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/04/1...lvage-killings

I won't hold my breath on this one

He instigated all this in the first place with all his bravado talk impressing the masses

It doesn't often happen, but I'd agree with you on this.

Why ?

Because night after night after night we see the results of vigilante killings of mostly completely innocent people.
We also see the completely OTT police action of shoot first ask questions later and honestly it doesn't sit well with me.

The total number of deaths relating to the war-on-drugs in one way or another remains very small but number of alleged innocent victims is quite high.
The other aspect I don't like is the increasing number of deaths of drug users who are so very poor they can never actually be drug dealers/pushers/drug lords.

We still wait to hear the outcomes of those 'Mr Big' characters who have either surrendered, been held in custody or whistleblowers.

PS
Good to see that Mayor Rolando Espinosa from Leyte quickly surrendered after a 'shoot-on-sight' threat .
His son has agreed to return to the Philippines from his hideaway in Malasia and surrender. Still waiting to hear the outcome of that one.

These two are rumoured to be the biggest drug lords and gun-for-hire in Eastern Visayas

[Terpe]

Strangely, there has so far been no backlash or outspoken negatives from the mass population

[fred]

Strangely, there has so far been no backlash or outspoken negatives from the mass population

I was talking the other day to a Filipino UP professor..
He explained to me that the Filipino people know full well that they have been very naughty and have become more and more undisciplined over the years..
They voted for Daddy Du30 in a landslide election victory because they know that they needed someone to give them a damned good thrashing!!
Certainly looks like they are receiving it and they really do not seem disappointed at all just yet..
All that can change though given time..
We will see..
(if we live long enough!!)

[Terpe]

Try reading about the Espinosa's from Leyte. Father and son.
See who's doing what.
OMG

The shoot to kill policy on named drug lords is working.
A couple more Mayors have now surrendered.

Wonder where and who it all will lead to.