10 November 2016

.38




Napansin ko lang, uso pala ang ang numero 38 sa taong ito,
Karaniwan nang mababasa sa mga police report at pahayagan,
Karaniwang ebidensya sa mga pagpaslang dahil “nanlaban”.

May ilan pang mga naging bagong normal sa kasalukuyan:
Karaniwan na araw-araw ang higit isang dosenang pinapatay
Sa giyerang tinuturing na kaaway ang katotohanan at karapatan.

Pero anupaman ang maging uso, meron pa ring mga bagay
Na di nalalaos ng panahon, katulad ng talinghaga ng pag-asa na
Ang pinakadilim na bahagi ng gabi ay bago magbukang-liwayway.




Pagmumuni’t panalangin sa ika-38 na kaarawan
9 Nobyembre 2016


When the cure is worse than the disease



Extrajudicial killings in order to counter illegal drugs don't result to improved peace and order, they only escalate the violence.

When suspects' right to presumption of innocence until proven guilty is violated, justice isn't served and the rule of law is broken.

When trigger-happy law enforcers, murderous vigilante groups, and violent drug syndicates roam our streets, they aren't just killing each other, they also kill more innocents. Witnesses and advocates are eliminated, family members are used as leverage, war on drugs watch lists are exploited to settle non-drug related grudges, and deaths by mistaken identity or proximity to intended target abound.