ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR III
The War on Drugs in the Philippines, initiated under President Rodrigo Duterte, has left an indelible mark on the nation. The campaign, characterized by alleged extrajudicial killings, has claimed thousands of lives, predominantly among the poor. This essay explores the haunting notion that “the dead has its way of getting revenge,” reflecting on the consequences of these brutal actions.
A relentless pursuit of suspected drug criminals has characterized the War on Drugs since its commencement in 2016. Cops have broken into homes, shooting unarmed people—even those who were eager to surrender—often acting on untrusted lists. These extrajudicial executions could be considered crimes against humanity, according to Amnesty International1. Targeting the poor disproportionately, the campaign has destroyed families and transformed neighborhoods into combat zones.( Amnesty International Report).
Even when they are silent, the dead nevertheless manage to leave an impression. The dead families’ sorrow and rage feed a communal memory that does not go away. Every life lost becomes a memory of the cruelty meted out to the weak and a symbol of injustice. The accounts of those slain, such as the one of an 11-year-old girl who saw her father killed, have a profound emotional impact and elicit demands for responsibility. (wbur.org).
The present House of Congress had made its concrete actions on this and collaboration of House Committees creating 4 major Committees convening as one. The quest for justice for the victims of extrajudicial killings is a long and arduous journey. Human rights organizations, journalists, and activists tirelessly document these atrocities, seeking to hold perpetrators accountable. The international community has also voiced concerns, urging the Philippine government to uphold the rule of law and protect human rights. The dead, through the voices of the living, demand justice and retribution.
“The dead has its way of getting revenge” is a poignant reflection on the enduring impact of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines’ War on Drugs. The lives lost in this brutal campaign continue to haunt the nation, demanding justice and accountability. As the country grapples with this dark chapter, it is imperative to remember that the dead, though gone, leave behind a powerful call for change and retribution.
The War on Drugs, was popular on the guise of a deterrent to crimes and ensuring peace in communities, but it also exposed a sad yet familiar reality, men can be bloodthirsty beings capable of killing. The animalistic and barbaric tendency that Cain has in its envy of Abel, the plot of the Katipuneros against Heneral Luna the treachery of Judas on Jesus, the evil that men do as mentioned by the eulogy of Marcus Antonios on Julius Caesar’s funeral.
There was no hiding or disputing the fact that almost 10,000 lives were lost. And that most of the dead were killed by a generic and scripted nanlaban reason ( resisting arrest). There were stories circulating and documented showing the scene of the crime operatives (SOCO) ready before an operation was even initiated. Logic tells us that the police was expecting dead people after the operation and that they would come in handy and ready to respond. It is comparable to a Funeral Parlor on stand by on hospitals waiting for the dead. It is morbidly gruesome and outright condemnable. Now its unraveling, the crimes are being exposed and yes, the voice of the dead are being heard. Now, commences the time of reckoning!
