To protect human life we must stand against the death squads 
(republishing, copying, no restrictions)
By: Father Shay Cullen
Several years ago I was sued for
libel by the former mayor of Davao City because I began an international
letter writing campaign asking him to investigate the killings of street
children by the so - called Davao Death Squad. Mayor De Guzman was so
angered by the flood of letters especially from Filipinos abroad, who
were shocked at the killings that included dozens of street children. He
filed a case against me and Preda human right workers.
After a year, I won the case but tragically the killings still go on
today even children are not spared. Evidence off this was recently shown
on ITN and CNN international news channel last February 2006.
The present Mayor of Davao City Rodrigo Duterte, has denied any links to
the killings although not vehemently. He still says they are a good
thing to combat crime. Duterte publicly told a crime summit at the
Manila Hotel in July of last year: "Summary execution of criminals
remains the most effective way to crush kidnapping and illegal drugs."
When amnesty International brought his name to the attention of the
world in its letter to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo last August, he
reacted strongly and told them to mind their own business, which is
exactly what they were doing. He said he had the answer to crime. "This
is our problem, and we will solve it my way," he is reported as saying.
Last year a prominent human rights defender was shot dead on the street
in Davao on his way to a meeting about the death squads. The human
rights NGO, FIND, bravely lived up to its name and found the bodies of
several people including children buried in shallow graves on waste land
known as the “Firing Range”. The rule of the gun, not that of law
spreads terror and fear as anyone can be accused and shot.
Many business people and civic leaders applaud the death squads. A
leading businessman, Robert Te told the Mindanao Times "We're more
confident to operate in a peaceful Davao, free from criminals, drug
syndicates and terrorists," The death penalty has been suspended but it
is imposed almost daily by the death squads.
As many as 247 deaths by execution were recorded up to December 2005
many of them youth and minors. Some were as young as 15. The finger
pointing goes on and anyone can be a victim of false accusation and
marked for death. Many journalists have been assassinated too. The
Philippines is one of the most dangerous places in the world for
Journalists, according to Reporters without Frontiers.
When the rule of law is cast aside by the oligarchy then civilised life
is not truly possible, without morality and human rights only an empty
shell of a corrupt society remains. A failed state is in the making. I
have received death threats in my missionary career and it is a scary
thing but we journalists can’t stop writing because fear and evil would
win and terror, not truth, would rule the land.
The appointment of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte as a security advisor to the
President for the region enhanced his reputation and has given the
presidential stamp of approval to the death squads critics say but the
president has denied any such approval.
The assassination and execution squads have sprung up in other towns and
cities and if it were orchestrated form on high. But assassination
squads are also active in the killing of students, farmers and trade
union activists. The brutal slaying on a picket line of the union leader
protesting unfair trade practices of Nestle shocked the Fair Trade
movement. Nestle boasts it is a FLO certified Fair trade coffee
retailer. FLO has as lot to explain and answer for.
Hundreds of people have been killed all over the country by execution
squads. In Cebu, 104 people were killed by execution squads between
November 2004 and December 2005. In Metro Manila similar killings are
standard practice it seems. It’s called “Salvaging”. Four police
officers were arrested recently for “execution-slayings”.
The President released a statement saying “Salvaging has no place in a
civilised society where we value human life and protect human rights”.
Now if only that were the reality this would be a far safer and crime
free country.[End]
