Rodrigo Duterte was elected president of the Philippines with a large agenda to carry out an openly avowed, brutal agenda because he promised to stamp out criminality within three to six months. The very popular president’s first seven weeks, more than 1900 people have been killed in a crackdown on drug trafficking as the rate of extrajudicial killings has skyrocketed under Duterte’s approval. Only about 800 of those deaths have been confirmed at the hands of police during anti-drug operations with the rest occurring under as yet “unknown circumstances.”
“What’s emerging is a portrait of a leader – and a people – willing to at least temporarily suspend the judicial process – the rule of law and the right to a trial – in favor of a hardline path to greater sense of security.” Filipinos are very weary of the high crime rates in the country and Duterte has 91% of the popular support.
“A lot of people see the killings as a necessary evil in the pursuit of his agenda,” says Anni Piiparinen, a specialist on Southeast Asian security at the Atlantic Council and assistant director of the cyber statecraft initiative there. The crime rate has gone down since Duterte entered office, as it did in Davao City during [Duterte’s] term as mayor. “Many people are willing to make this tradeoff,” she said.
The nation’s police chief, Ronald de la Rosa, insisted in a hearing “that there existed no official policy to kill drug dealers or users… We are not butchers,” he said.
Apparently, vigilantes acting with the tacit approval of police – and in other cases, police themselves – are responsible for many of the unsolved killings. Meanwhile the state sponsored violence has prompted 114,833 people to turn themselves in so far. They are either drug addicts or dealers.
“Forget the laws on human rights,” he said in his last campaign speech. “If I make it to the presidential palace, I will do just what I did as mayor. You drug pushers, hold-up men and do-nothings, you better go out. Because … I’d kill you.”
Drug crimes plummeted 75 percent after Duterte became mayor of Davao City. Muggings and pickpocketing are rare there and leftists are no longer violent. It’s safe to walk at night.
Combined with political corruption, longstanding weariness with crime has helped create a longing among many Filipinos for the sort of strongman figure Duterte represents.
The lawlessness in the Philippines is, no doubt, preparation for what is predicted will happen in the last days when people will take matters into their own hands and try to kill God’s people without due process.
“The heavenly sentinels, faithful to their trust, continue their watch. Though a general decree has fixed the time when commandment keepers may be put to death, their enemies will in some cases anticipate the decree, and before the time specified, will endeavor to take their lives. But none can pass the mighty guardians stationed about every faithful soul. Some are assailed in their flight from the cities and villages; but the swords raised against them break and fall powerless as a straw. Others are defended by angels in the form of men of war.” Great Controversy, page 631.