I was peripherally aware of the goofiness in the Philippines, but somehow never commented on it for this thread. But let’s set the stage first: The Philippines is a nation consisting of roughly 7,641 islands in the Pacific Ocean, a population of 101 million, and a dominant religion of Roman Catholicism. With roughly 116,000 square miles available, density runs to 870 people / mile2 – assuming all the area is livable. For comparison, world wide density is 35 / mile2.
And their government? Formally, Constitutional Republic. Informal? Scary as hell.
Current President is Rodrigo Duterte, former mayor of Davao City. During his campaign for the Presidency, he pledged to fight crime, as noted by DW in an interview with Jasmine Lorch:
DW: Rodrigo Duterte promised a “bloody war” against criminals during his election campaign. Now that he has been elected, what concerns might human rights groups have with his promise to bring about justice?
Lorch: Duterte has not put forward a concrete plan to reduce poverty in the Philippines
Jasmin Lorch: National and international human rights groups have criticized Duterte’s approach to security and human rights since his time as mayor of Davao City. During Duterte’s tenure there as mayor, the city became home to notorious “dead squads” that indiscriminately targeted criminals, street children and critical activists.
During his presidential campaign, Duterte even boasted that he had personally killed criminals. Activist groups have rightly stressed that if human rights and due judicial process are ignored in the fight against crime, the justice system – and ultimately the Philippine’s democratic system – could be undermined.
And how is he implementing this? WaPo reports:
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday compared his campaign to kill criminals to the Holocaust, saying he would like to “slaughter” millions of addicts just like Adolf Hitler “massacred” millions of Jewish people.
“Hitler massacred three million Jews. Now, there are 3 million drug addicts. … I’d be happy to slaughter them,” he told reporters early Friday, according to GMA News.
“You know my victims, I would like to be, all criminals, to finish the problem of my country and save the next generation from perdition,” he said.
The comment was a response to critics who have likened him to Hitler. (Anestimated 6 million Jewish people were killed in the Holocaust.)
Since Duterte swept to power in July, more than 3,300 Filipinos have been killed, either gunned down by police in late-night drug operations or felled by assassins, often after being named by police.
Victims of the extra-judicial killing spree are drug suspects — or those misidentified as drug suspects —named on police lists and targeted before they are charged or given the chance to stand trial. Often their bodies are dumped by the roadside with signs that read “pusher.”
And I suppose his supporters love him for it, but it’s the art of the brute who knows no better. And what will his supporters do when he finds reason to apply the same methods to some group of them? Then they find reason to regret their support. But, as with Trump and others, it seems people are looking for their “strong leader” with little thought as to methods being applied to themselves.
