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Robredo: ‘Shameful’ that other nations more concerned about drug war deaths than many in PHL


It is shameful that other countries have called for an investigation into the thousands of deaths in the Duterte administration's drug war and seem to be more concerned about it than many Filipinos, Vice President Leni Robredo said.

"Nakakahiya naman yata na iba pa iyong nakapansin, iba pa iyong nagmamalasakit, iba pa iyong nababahala," Robredo said on her radio show on Sunday.

Last week, more than two dozen countries formally called for a United Nations investigation into President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs.

Iceland submitted the draft resolution, which urges the government to prevent extrajudicial executions. It marks the first time that the Human Rights Council is being asked to address the crisis.

The UNHRC is to vote on the resolution before ending its three-week session on July 12.

'Dito, business as usual'

Robredo added that the killings have placed the Philippines more in line with conflict-ridden countries that have notable human rights violations. 

"Noong una kong nabasa iyon, parang nakakapanlumo na nakahilera na tayo—ilang bansa iyong kinall iyong attention doon. Ang mga kahilera na natin...Afghanistan, Sudan, ‘di ba, iyong mga bansa na kilalang-kilala sa mga human rights violations, kahilera na tayo," she said.

Robredo also also expressed dismay that other countries have been making the call for an investigation, not fellow Filipinos.

"Iyong sa akin lang, iyong ibang bansa nababahala para sa atin. Pero dito sa atin, parang ang nababahala yata kaunting-kaunti lang. Parang business as usual para sa lahat, kahit ang daming patayan na nangyayari, parang wala lang," she said.

Response to 3-year-old's death

Robredo also slammed Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa's response to the death of 3-year-old Myca Ulpina, who was killed last week in a police operation that targeted her father.

Dela Rosa, former head of the Philippine National Police, said that while the police would not want a child hurt in such a situation, "shit happens during police operations."

Robredo said that many children have already been killed in the drug war, and asked why nothing seems to be done about it.

"Hindi puwedeng sabihin na 'talagang nangyayari iyan,' kasi kapag inaayos naman natin iyong kampanya, hindi naman dapat nangyayari iyan. Iyong sa akin lang, iyong pinakahuling nangyari, dapat wake-up call ito sa lahat na ito na iyong huli," she said.

"Pero kung wala tayong gawin—kahit may nangyari nang ganito, wala tayong gawin, kasalanan na natin iyon," she added.

Robredo said that the reaction is infuriating and seems to reduce Myca and others like her to "statistics."

"Parang numero lang, talagang nangyayari. Hindi nakikita iyong mukha, iyong dalamhati, iyong pamilyang naiiwan," she said.

"Kapag pinatay mo, pinipilay mo iyong buong pamilya—hindi lang pilay, parang pinapatay mo din iyong buong pamilya," she added.

Robredo also pointed out that thousands have already died in Duterte's war on drugs, yet the problem persists.

"Alam natin iyong problema sa droga, nandiyan pa din. In fact, iyong report mismo ng pamahalaan, lalo pang dumami: lalo pang dumami iyong supply ng droga, lalo pang dumami iyong mga nalululong. So ang gustong sabihin, iyong pamamaraan na ginagamit, hindi epektibo. Kailan ba tayo magigising?" — BM, GMA News

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