Don Bosco community joins outcry vs. extrajudicial killings

The religious institute Salesians of Don Bosco has joined the outcry against the continuously growing number of extrajudicial killings related to the government's campaign against illegal drugs.

In a pastoral statement posted on its website, the Salesians of Don Bosco – Philippines (SDB), said that while it supports President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs, it cannot remain blind to the continuous disregard of due process of law and the value of human life.

“As citizens dedicated to the education and professional formation of youth, especially the poorest and most neglected ones, we support President Duterte’s drive against all forms of illegal drug trafficking, and especially against drug lords and drug pushers,” the SDB’s statement read.

“However…We are alarmed by the recent wave of extrajudicial killings that have taken place at the hands of police officers, and especially of vigilantes roaming our streets unchecked and un-apprehended,” the SDB said.

Late last month, the Ateneo De Manila University and the De La Salle University also condemned the spate of killings by the police operatives as well as the vigilante groups mostly of suspected drug pushers.

Based on the data of the Philippine National Police (PNP)  as of August 10, a total of 516 individuals suspected to be involved in the illegal drugs trade were killed in police operations.

This is apart from the vigilante-style of killings with bodies of the victims usually wrapped in masking tape and dumped in the inner streets of Metro Manila.

In its statement, the SDB said the daily killing of drugs suspects is an utter disregard of the basic principle of presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

“We believe that any attitude and course of action that disregards the basic principles of modern jurisprudence that any person is presumed innocent until proven guilty, and that justice has to be rendered by following due process, has to be avoided,” the SDB said.

The SDB also warned that the summary killings of accused individuals, if unabated, may soon inevitably lead to “serious and irreparable injustices such as the killing of innocent people, and even simple drug users who are, actually, the direct victims of the drug traffickers/pushers.”

“We firmly demand that all concerned government agencies actively pursue and apprehend all those involved in drug trafficking, but avoid and prevent all extrajudicial killings. They should likewise pursue and apprehend all anonymous vigilantes who carry out such illegal actions,” the SDB called on the administration.

The SDB also called on Congress and concerned government agencies to craft and implement measures that would further strengthen the justice system for the speedy and effective apprehension, prosecution and punishment of all those proven guilty of drug trafficking and drug pushing.

“May our Blessed Mother protect our country from further violence and help us in our endeavor to prevent the spread of the culture of death,” the SDB said. — RSJ, GMA News