Duterte's concern for human lives gets attention but for wrong reasons
MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos took to social media on Monday their frustration with President Rodrigo Duterte's remark in his third State of the Nation Address where he said his concern is not human rights but the lives of people amid thousands of cases of extrajudicial killings in his war on drugs.
Duterte said in his SONA that the concern of his critics on the drug war, which has taken more than 4,200 lives, is "human rights" while his is "human lives."
"Your concern is human rights, mine is human lives. The lives of our youth are being wasted and families are destroyed, and all because of the chemicals called shabu, cocaine, cannabis, and heroine," the president said in his 48-minute speech, his shortest SONA yet.
He vowed that his anti-illegal drug campaign would be "relentless and chilling," with the Philippine National Police in June saying it has also recorded 22,983 cases of killings that were classified as deaths under inquiry since the war on drugs was launched in July 2016.
Human rights groups and administration critics, however, attribute more of the killings to the campaign against drugs.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros, a staunch critic of the president and his drug war, expressed dismay over Duterte's remark.
"It really is chilling in the hearts of Filipinos because you now have 20,000 family members orphaned in this war on drugs, where many cases even lack independent investigations," Hontiveros said after the Duterte's speech.
The senator said human rights and human life go hand in hand.
"[The president's remark is a] contradiction in terms that it is not contradictory but in fact, complimentary because a very important part of human lives are human rights. When human rights are violated and the dignity of the human person is demeaned, quality of life is also devalued. So he is wrong to say he cares for human lives and not human rights because it is part of human life," she added.
On Twitter, some also hit the president's remark as "ironic," saying Duterte is the "root of the abundance" of EJKs in the country.
As expected, President Duterte in his third SONA once again took a swipe on human rights advocates:
— Youth for Human Rights and Democracy (@Youth4HRD) July 23, 2018
“Your concern is human rights, my concern is human lives.”
What happened to the life of 4 year old Skyler then? pic.twitter.com/rP8rX6Lrnd
Duterte during SONA says he values HUMAN LIFE...
— Kisha Beringuela (@kishaberinguela) July 23, 2018
EXCUSE ME. Sinong niloloko mo?!
We’ve lost so MUCH lives because of your shitty war on drugs campaign, the Marawi siege, and now your oplan Tambay. Stop pretending that you value human life. Your actions contradict your words.
Good News: It was a surprisingly decently delivered SONA. Points were clear and the method was good.
— Justin G???? (@justingftw) July 23, 2018
Bad News: The "Your concern is human rights. Mine is human lives." line blew me away.
You can't divorce those two ideas. The former ensuring the latter endures. #SONA2018
Okay I know I need to listen to duterte's sona first before commenting. But I can't help myself but be sad when he said that he values human lives more than human rights. Mr. President, aren't you aware that when you violated our rights, you also smh violated our lives? #SONA2018
— lyn; (@YIXINGAERI) July 23, 2018
"Our concern is human rights [and] rights to live is a part of human rights. You can't say that your concern is human life if you're literally the root of the abundance of deaths in this country. People are literally fighting for those whom you took the rights of, Duterte," said Twitter user Iris Vicencio.
OUR CONCERN IS HUMAN RIGHTS, RIGHTS TO LIVE IS A PART OF HUMAN RIGHTS- you can’t say that your concern is human life IF YOU’RE LITERALLY THE ROOT OF THE ABUNDANCE OF DEATHS IN THIS COUNTRY.
— IRIS (@irisvicencio) July 23, 2018
PEOPLE ARE LITERALLY FIGHTING FOR THOSE WHO YOU TOOK THE RIGHTS OF, DUTERTE. #SONA2018
Von Yacob, another Twitter user, meanwhile said the Filipino people "don't need soundbites but an end to the relentless killings being done under your war on drugs."
"Your concern is human rights. Mine is human lives" - Duterte
— Von Yacob (@heycaloy) July 23, 2018
That's basically the point of human rights - to protect lives.
We don't need soundbites, Mr. President. We need to put an end to the relentless killings being done under your War on Drugs program.#StopEJK#SONA2018
The president's speech is also a reflection of "delayed justice, delayed economy and delayed democracy that this administration has offered us," said Twitter user Val Leto.
"We actually don't need to hear the bottomline of Duterte's oration. [E]nough with false promises. Give this nation the dignity it deserves," she said.
The PNP's Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management had reported that at least 33 persons were killed daily from July 1, 2016, when Duterte took office, until May 21 of this year.
The report did not indicate a breakdown of regions with the highest incidents of deaths under investigation.
Authorities said the recorded homicide cases under investigation were different from incidents of drug suspects who were killed in supposed shootouts with police.
— Philstar.com intern Christian Deiparine
- Latest
- Trending
