Chung1

AdaChung
Ms.Alvarado
Period5
April29,2016
UnjustifiedDeath
I.

Introduction
AvictimofoneofthenumerousshootingsbytheTagumDeathSquadretellsthehorrors

ofhislifeinthePhilippines,Inoticedsomeoneonamotorcyclefollowingme.WhenIlooked
inthesidemirror,they[TagumDeathSquad]werealreadyclose.WhenIturnedaroundtolook
atthemallIheardwasgunshots.Theyshotmetwice.1Thisvictimluckilysurvivedthe
shooting,butmanyotherswerenotasluckyanddieofsevereshotwounds.Agreatcontributor
tothehorrendouskillingswasRodrigoDuterte,theformermayorofMindanaoandthe
mastermindbehindtheTagumDeathSquad.Hisgoalwastousehispoweroverthedeathsquad
hecreatedtoclearthecityofallthepoorpeople,thoseofnousetothecity,andalsothosewho
maythreatenhisdecisions.ThisdemonstratesthegravityofthesituationinthePhilippinesand
howimportantitistofixthehumanrightsprobleminthePhilippines.Humanrightsisavery
importantissueandeachandeveryhumanthatroamsthisearthshouldbeabletohavethese
basicrights.Thebasisofthesehumanrightsistherighttolife.Thoughtitmayseemthatthese
humanrightswouldbefollowedbyeverycountry,therearestillmanycountriesintheworldthat
dontprovidethesebasicrights.ThePhilippinesisaprimeexampleofacountrywheretheright
tolifehasbeenviolatedbecausemanychildren,ethnicgroups,aswellasjournalistsaredyingin

HumanRightsWatch."PhilippinesDeathSquadKillingsInterviewwithFormerHitman."YouTube.2014.
AccessedApril26,2016.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQBPxVbUK8.

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inhumanways.Itwouldseemlikeinademocraticcountryextrajudicialkillingswouldnt
happen,yetthesekillingsstillcontinuingandnotbeingstopped.AccordingtotheAsia
Foundation,Ofthemorethan1,000extrajudicialkillings(includingjournalistkillings)
recordedbytheCommissiononHumanRightssince2001,onlysevenresultedinconviction,not
oneofwhomisamilitaryorpolicepersonnel.2EverydaypeopleinthePhilippinesliveinfear,
fearingthattheywillbekilledatanytime.Theseextrajudicialkillingshappeninginthe
Philippinesaretargetingcertaingroupssuchasjournalists,thosewhosupportcommunism,as
wellasthepoor.Thesepeoplehaventevenbeenprovenguiltyandarekilledwhetherornot
theyactuallycommittedacrime.
Apartfromcitizenslosingtheirlivesfromextrajudicialkillings,citizensarealsolosing
theirlivesfromworkingindangerousmines.ThedocumentarybytheHumanRightsWatch
documentstheseveralhundredsofpeopleinthePhilippinesthatworkinthedangerouslife
threateningminingindustry.ThousandsofFilipinochildren,someasyoungas9yearsold,risk
theirlivesbyworkinginillegal,smallscalegoldminesunderterrifyingconditionsandthe
governmenthasnotdoneenoughtoprotectthem[...]childrenworkinunstable25meter
(80foot)deeppitsorunderwateralongcoastalshoresorrivers,processinggoldwithmercury,a
toxicmetalthatcancauseirreversiblehealthdamage.3Everytimetheseyoungchildrenand
peopleworkintheminestheyareputtingtheirlivesatrisk.Asaresultofthegovernment's
ignoranceorunawareness,manyinnocentcitizenshavesufferedandlosttheirlives.

"ReceiveInAsiaUpdates."InAsiaExtrajudicialKillingsinthePhilippinesIstheSituationReallyImproving
Comments.AccessedApril24,2016.
http://asiafoundation.org/inasia/2011/10/12/extrajudicialkillingsinthephilippinesisthesituationreallyimprovin
g.
3

ByTERESACEROJANOAssociated,Press.2015."Rightsgroup:Filipinochildminersrisklivesingold
mines."
APEnglishWorldstreamEnglishNewspaperSourcePlus
,EBSCO
host
(accessedFebruary22,2016).

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II.

HistoricalBackground
Inthepast,thePhilippineswasamongoneoftherichestcountriesinAsiaduetotherich

agricultureandnaturalresources.However,duetothepoorleadership,lackoffinancing,and
lackofgovernmentpoliciesthePhilippinesplummetedfromarichandplentifulcountrytoone
ofthepoorestcountriesinthePacificRim.4Thereisalackofpoliciesregardingthejustice
systemandminingrestrictions,causingdeathsandkillingstocontinue.ThePhilippineshave
beentryingtousetheirmineralresourcestoincreasetheireconomicsuccess,butintheprocess
manychildrenandadultshavebeeneitherhurtorkilledworkingindangerousmines.5 These
minesaredangerousandviolatedtherighttolifebecauseinordertoextractmineralstoxic
chemicalsareusedandpeopleoftenhadtogotodangerousdepthstogetminerals.Theuseof
thesetoxicchemicalsanddangerousminingdepthsarethemaincausesofdeathinthisindustry.6
Miningisaviolationofhumanrightsandsoaretheextrajudicialkillings.TheNDF
socialmovementsinthePhilippineswereaveryimportantcatalystthatcausedtheviolationof
therighttolifebecauseitcausedaconflictbetweentheotherpartiesformedbycitizensandthe
government.ThemajorityofthesocialmovementswereformedduringFerdinandMarcoss
presidencybetween1965to1986.Duringthisperiod,PresidentMarcos,adictator,causedthe
nationaldebtofPhilippinesrisefrom2billiondollarstoover30billiondollarsandsince
Marcossrulethedebthasonlyincreased.PresidentMarcoscausedthesuddenincreaseofthe
nationaldebtbybecominginvolvedintheVietnamWarandspendingoverthebudget.The
unhappyFilipinoscreatedanewsocialmovementcalledtheNationalDemocraticFront(NDF)

2003."RepublicofthePhilippines."
BackgroundNotesOnCountriesOfTheWorld2003
1.
MasterFILEPremier
,
EBSCO
host
(accessedFebruary25,2016).
5

ByTERESACEROJANOAssociated,Press.2015."Rightsgroup:Filipinochildminersrisklivesingold
mines."
APEnglishWorldstreamEnglishNewspaperSourcePlus
,EBSCO
host
(accessedFebruary22,2016)
6
ibid
4

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toaddresstheissueswithhowthePhilippineswereruled.TheNDFwasmotivatedby
CommunistideasadoptedfromtheirneighboringcountryChina.TheNDFwantedtotakeover
theunsuccessfuldemocracywithamoresuccessfulformofruling.7 Thedemocracyunder
PresidentMarcoswasunsuccessfulbecauseMarcoswashungryforpowerandrecognitionand
evenmandatedthateverysinglepublicinstitutioncarriedapictureofhisface.8TheNDF
targetedgovernmentofficialsandthesupportersaffiliatedwithPresidentMarcostoweakenthe
government,causingalotofunrestinthePhilippinesduringthistimeperiod.TheNDFwere
unsuccessfulintakingoverthegovernmentbecausesomecitizensstillhadhopeinanactual
democracy.PresidentCorazonAquino,thepresidentaftertheruleofMarcos,wasableto
restorethedemocracyinthePhilippines.TherearestillremnantsoftheNDFtodaywhoare
stillunsatisfiedwiththecurrentgovernment.
Intherecentyears,thePhilippinegovernmenthavebeentryingtobecomemorestableby
killingsuspectswhoarepartoftheNDF.9BykillingthepeoplewhoarepartoftheNDFthere
willbenootherpoliticalpartiesopposingthedemocraticrule.Thegovernmentistryingto
suppresstheNDFuprisingsthathappenedinthepastbyfalselyaccusingpeopleandkillingthem
withoutgoingthroughajusticesystem.ThoughtheextrajudicialkillingsinthePhilippineshave
decreasedsincetheruleofPresidentMarcos,therehavestillbeenrivalriesbetweenthe
leftistactivistsofthePhilippinesandthedemocraticgovernmentofthePhilippines.10

"FerdinandMarcos."NewWorldEncyclopedia.AccessedApril06,2016.
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Ferdinand_Marcos.
8
"HistoryofthePhilippines(196586)."Wikipedia.AccessedApril28,2016.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Philippines_(196586).
9
"YouCanDieAnyTime""HumanRightsWatch.2009.AccessedApril28,2016.
https://www.hrw.org/report/2009/04/06/youcandieanytime/deathsquadkillingsmindanao.
10

"ExtrajudicialKillingsinthePhilippines:StrategiestoEndtheViolence."UnitedStatesInstituteofPeace.
AccessedApril06,2016.
http://www.usip.org/publications/2007/03/14/extrajudicialkillingsinthephilippinesstrategiesendtheviolence.

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III.

ModernDayResponsessince1948
ThecurrentpresidentofthePhilippinesisPresidentBenignoS.AquinoIIIandheis

currentlydoingapoorjobkeepingtohispromises.AnarticlefromtheAsiaFoundationstates,
DespitetheadventofanewandpopularadministrationandPresidentAquinospromisetoend
allhumanrightsviolations,thecountryhasnotseenthelastofthem.Torture,extrajudicial
killings,andenforceddisappearancescontinuewithimpunity.11 Ithasbeenaround28years
sincethePresidentialProclamation214wasissuedin1988byPresidentCoryAquino.This
ProclamationwascreatedtoprotecttherighttolifeofpeopleinthePhilippines.However,the
sonofCoryAquinoBenignoS.PresidentAquinoIIIhasnotbeenreinforcingtheproclamation
onthevalueofhumanlifeandprotectingthelivesofthepeopleofhiscountry.12Intherecent
years,thePhilippinegovernmentseemstobeindirectlyinvolvedinkillingthosewhohavebeen
sidingwiththeNationalDemocraticFrontandotherCommunistpartiesinfearthatthe
democraticgovernmentwillbeoverthrown.Inmorerecentyears,theCommunistpartiesofthe
Philippineshavebeenlessactiveyetsuspectshavestillbeenpunishedthroughextrajudicial
killingswithoutgoingthroughanyjusticesystem.Thejusticesystemisunorganizedbecause,
Ageoldproblemsinthecriminaljusticesystemareexacerbatedinhumanrightscasesasdelays
leadtothecontinuousharassmentofvictims,forcingthemtodropcasesforfearofretribution.

"
ReceiveInAsiaUpdates."InAsiaExtrajudicialKillingsinthePhilippinesIstheSituationReallyImproving
Comments.AccessedApril06,2016.
http://asiafoundation.org/inasia/2011/10/12/extrajudicialkillingsinthephilippinesisthesituationreallyimprovin
g/.
12
"RighttoLife."Philstar.com.AccessedApril24,2016.
http://www.philstar.com/opinion/2014/01/31/1284979/rightlife.

11

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13

Thesekillingsarenotjustifiedandareoftenhurtinginnocentcitizens.Thesekillingshavenot

beenexaminedandthustheextrajudicialkillingsarecontinuinginthePhilippines.
IV.

Conclusion:EvaluationandRecommendations
Singaporeisarelativelysmallcountryandhasmuchlessresourcescomparedtothe

Philippines,yettheyhavebeenabletobecomeverysuccessfuleconomicallywhileprotecting
therighttolifeoftheircitizens.SingaporelikethePhilippineswasonceathirdworldcountry
butafterbeingabletoorganizetheirgovernmentandprioritizethelivingstandardsofthe
citizens,Singaporewasabletotransformintothatofafirstworldcountry.Thesetwocountries
haveseveralthingsincommon,includingthattheywerebothpoorcountriesatsomepointinthe
pastseveralhundredyearsandhavebothalsostruggledwiththeorganizationofthecountry.
Accordingtoanarticlefrom
TheEconomist
,

Thegovernment[Singapore]waskeptsmall,
efficientandhonestqualitiesabsentinmostofSingaporesneighbours.14Singaporeunlikethe
surroundingcountrieshasveryefficientinfrastructureandthoughithasonlygained
independencefor50years,duringthese50yearsSingaporehasreallybeenabletoimprove.
AlthoughthePhilippinesdeclaredindependancefromSpainin1898,thePhilippineshasnot
beenabletosuccessfullyimprovetheircountryandmostofallimprovetherightsofpeople.
SingaporesmostimportantleaderisLeeKuanYewandasthePrimeMinisterhewasableto
becomeallieswithimportantcountriesintheworldsuchastheUnitedStatesaswellasChina.
LeeKuanYewwasastrongleaderandhecreatedpoliciestoimprovethelivesofcitizensby
creatingmorejobsandmakinggoodrelationshipswithothercountries.Inorderforthe
Philippinestotransitiontoafirstworldcountrythatprotectstherightsofpeoplethecitizens

ibid

"WhySingaporeBecameanEconomicSuccess."TheEconomist.2015.AccessedApril24,2016.
http://www.economist.com/blogs/economistexplains/2015/03/economistexplains23.
13

14

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mustbemoreeducated,thecitizensshouldraiseawarenessabouttheviolationsofhumanrights,
andtheFilipinogovernmentmustbemoreorganized.
Citizensneedtobeabletomakeeducatedchoicesbecausewhenthepopulationismore
informedandeducated,democracywillsucceedandmakethecountrybetter.Democracyinthe
Philippineshasnotbeenverysuccessfulbecausecitizenshavenotbeenchoosingeffective
leaders.Ifthecitizensweremoreinformedtheywouldhavebeenabletochooseastronger
leaderwhotheycouldputtheirtrustinandleadthecitizenstoabetterlife.Notonlydocitizens
needtobeeducated,theyalsoneedtobemorecourageousandreportthedangersthatmaybe
threateningtheirhumanrights.EventhepoliceinthePhilippineswerenoteffectiveinprotecting
thecitizensbecausetheydidnotwanttorisklosingtheirlivesbyinterveningandinvestigating
killingsorderedbyMayorDuterte. 15ThegovernmentseemedunawareoftheMayorsdoing
becausetherewerenoreports.Thereshouldbemorecampaignsledbythecitizenstomakethe
governmentmoreawareofthehumanrightsissues.
Therearemanyimprovementsthatcanbetakenbythegovernmenttoimprovethe
overallorganizationofthecountryandtoaddressthehumanrightissuesinthePhilippines.The
governmentneedstobebetteratregulatingtheirlaws,havingmoresecuritymeasurestoprotect
thelivesofcitizens,communicatebetterwiththepeopleandalsoimprovethecriminaljustice
system.Thegovernmentshouldnotbefearedandshouldbemoreopentothecitizenssothatthe
governmentcanusethecitizensinputtoimprovethecountry.Mostimportantofalltoavoidthe
deathofinnocentcitizens,thegovernmentmustnottoleratepoliticalleaderslikeMayorRodrigo
DuterteandPresidentMarcosbecausetheytookawaytherighttolifeawayfrommanypeople.

15

HumanRightsWatch."PhilippinesDeathSquadKillingsInterviewwithFormerHitman."YouTube.2014.
AccessedApril26,2016.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQBPxVbUK8.

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Thepoorgoverningskills,ledpeopletowanttohaveachangeingovernment.Ifthereisastrong
leaderinthePhilippines,theleadercanleadthecountryintherightdirectionandmakedecisions
thatwillbenefitandimprovethehumanrightsinthiscountry.Thereisalackofcommunication
betweenthePhilippinegovernmentandthepeople,andthesemiscommunicationscanoftenlead
todestructionandalossoflives.IfthePhilippineswantstoregaintheirpowerasademocratic
government,theymuststartwithprotectingtherightsofthepeopleandhelptheotherpartiesof
thePhilippinesrealizethebenefitsofademocraticsystem.Whenthedemocraticsysteminthe
Philippineswasweakitprovedtothecitizensthatdemocracywouldnotleadthemtoany
success,sotheyoptedforotherpartiessuchasCommunism.Inaddition,conflictsbetweenthe
governmentanddifferentpartyshouldbedisputedpeacefullyandinahumanewaywhere
suspectsaregivenatrialandachancetoproveinnocence.Thereshouldbestricterlaws
regardingextrajudicialkillingsandthelifethreateningjobsrelatingtomining.Ifthereare
stricterpunishments,peopleunderthegovernmentwillbelesstemptedtobreakthelaw.Ifthe
governmentcanachievethis,thePhilippinescantransformintoafirstworldcountry.

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