It was the recent "shootout" incident in Davao City that prodded me to find a venue where I could vent out my thoughts on the issue.
That fateful Thursday afternoon, I got my hands busy juggling with things both at work and personal matters. I had no idea what was happening in downtown Davao. When I logged in on my FB account, a seaman friend of mine, as of this posting was in Russia, sent me a PM asking on news about the shooting incident near Allied Bank in Claveria Street. (That seaman worked in Allied Bank before).
As I had nothing to share with him, I "Googled" it and searched possible FB accounts which might have info on the matter. My little research revealed me this info:
Three suspected members of a kidnap-for-ransom group were killed in a shootout with police authorities in Davao City. Two died on the spot while the other died at the hospital. The shootout occurred at a bank in Claveria where the kidnap victim, who was accompanied by her abductors, was supposed to withdraw the P15 million ransom at around 12:30 p.m.
And then, the flood of pictures and video, so gruesome I cannot believe people, most of them residents of Davao, were applauding them, sharing them on their FB timelines. One newly elected politician posted the graphic video (shared more than 13K times the last time I checked) captioned with a harsh warning to criminals and would-be criminals messing in the city.....Manhunt operations against the 10 other suspects who escaped on board two vehicles are still ongoing. Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has issued a shoot-to-kill order against the suspects. (News Excerpt)
Either they felt victorious that bad elements were gunned down in their city where the Mayor pledged to keep them safe and secure by going after criminals and law offenders; or to show support for the local authorities, or for the sake of joining the bandwagon at that moment (another fleeting internet phenom.) Whatever reasons they have, I think it was so twisted to hit me to the core and led me to ask myself, "What has become to the people of Davao?"
I felt aghast at how they accorded praises to whoever they thought it was due, how condemning they were, and how "proud" they were of the bloodbath.
(I opt not to post screen captures of FB postings as examples, since they are my friends and even relatives. We have dissenting opinions to the issue.)
I am with you guys; yes, they are criminals, like those kidnappers, are menace to the society. But we are a community of human beings. We have laws. And criminals they maybe, they have rights granted to them by the democracy we all enjoy.
So, where is the due process? Whatever happened to it? We just couldn't kill anyone summarily. We cannot allow ourselves to become ruthless animals.
I am pretty sure you will point out the "rules of engagement." They-shoot-first, police-fires-back. I've thought of it too. But hey, are we that intolerant to yield to the easy-way of getting things done. Remember they got the others inside the bank, right.
I live in Davao City for half of my life, I have benefited from the strong hand of the local government against criminals. It made me feel at peace and secure. I am thankful. But it doesn't change my opinion on summary executions.
The incident was not a fictional entertainment. More that the actually shooting and killing, it involved realities of how we perceive democracy and the benefits it afforded us; our reverence to human rights, or to basic grain of respect to human being.
The local media was on their usual news stunt: straight, just-the-fact news of the incident. They were doing their job. I am not in the position to question them, but I was hoping for them, as the so-called fourth estate of the society, someone could have raised the question on the culture of impunity. And their stories to delve on the accountability of those in authority, just to provide the balance to the information being circulated among the masses; to help provide a clearer picture as to how people should critically create opinions.
But none so far. This is a scary picture, that's all I can say.
Our actions and reactions, the causes we support, the ideals we fight for are a matter of personal values, morals, the kind of education we get, and the kind of society we want to live.
Should we condone the Culture of Impunity?
No comments:
Post a Comment