Another Warning About The Philippines

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fountainhall

Another Warning About The Philippines

Post by fountainhall »

The Philippines' mad dog President has been waging his war on drugs for many months now resulting in an extra-judicial killing spree that has murdered an estimated 5,500 on the streets, many allegedly having little to do with drugs as either dealers or users. Last week, Al Jaziera recently reported that 80 were killed, 13 in one night in Manila alone. The President's reaction? "That's good!" During all this slaughter, Duterte's polling numbers have remained extremely high.

That may finally be about to change. On August 16 Kian Delos Santos was dragged from his home on the outskirts of Manila, taken to jail and allegedly murdered by police under the guise of a raid on drug pushers. According to a witness, his last words were, "Please stop. Please stop. I have a test tomorrow.” Kian Delos Santos was a 17-year old student.
An autopsy report showed he was shot twice in his head and once on the back.

The killing has sparked mass protests and triggered several government agencies to launch investigations.

Now even the architect of the violent crackdown, the president, Rodrigo Duterte, has said that something was wrong with the police operation after viewing CCTV footage showing two men dragging the defenceless student along the street.

The footage of Santos alive in custody throws serious doubt on police claims that police shot the teenager after he drew a gun to fight back arrest.
Manila remains a dangerous place. I hope those considering a visit must bear this in mind. The US State Department has issued warnings against travel to several areas in the south of the country. So far, there is no advisory regarding Manila.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/ ... wide-anger.
stkyricesf

Re: Another Warning About The Philippines

Post by stkyricesf »

Unfortunately I'm filipino, 5th gen American but still have the look. It is a shame, but I'm scared to go at this time.
fountainhall

Re: Another Warning About The Philippines

Post by fountainhall »

This photo essay in today's Guardian about the effects of of the dictator Duarte's war on drugs - and also of the ghastly poverty in much of that country - is sobering. Duterte claims his forces are killing off the drug lords and dealers. Masked and hooded men climbing through windows to shoot a 16 year old? These are crimes against humanity.

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https://www.theguardian.com/global-deve ... n-pictures
Oliver

Re: Another Warning About The Philippines

Post by Oliver »

Shocking. And even worse; it is claimed that he has overwhelming support form the population. Presumably not the ones who live in the slums.
fountainhall

Re: Another Warning About The Philippines

Post by fountainhall »

In the wake of the death of the teenage student Kian Delos Santos, not only has it come to light that two other teenage students were shot and killed, one of them, Carl Angelo Arnaiz, was allegedly killed in an exchange of fire with police after robbing a taxi driver last month. A government forensic expert, however, said Arnaiz appeared to have been handcuffed, tortured and shot five times.

Now the entire 1,200 strong police force in the city of Caloocan has been fired and the justice department has started an investigation based on a murder and torture allegation against four Caloocan police officers allegedly linked to the killing of delos Santos. As a result of a public outcry, that killing has come under renewed scrutiny. Police described the teenager as a drug dealer who fired at officers during a raid, but his family and witnesses said the student was shot as he pleaded for his life.
Oliver wrote:Presumably not the ones who live in the slums.
An inaccurate assumption, sadly.
The gleaming skyscrapers of Manila’s Makati Malate district can be seen from the slums of Tondo, but there is nothing shiny about the alleyways where children play in piles of rubbish and filthy shacks are packed by the river.

Container lorries carrying cargo from the harbour rattle past as a man sets fire to a pile of rubbish, watched by a group of children. This is the slum area known as “Happyland”, which comes not from any sense of joy, but as a translation of the Bisaya word for “dump”.

The irony continues in the “Aroma” slum, which true to its name has a strong odour of compacted waste rising off the rubbish which is everywhere, as scavengers and stevedores work desperately to make a living.

The Philippine capital is home to an estimated four million urban poor, many packed into places like Smokey Mountain, a landfill that officially closed in the 1990s but is still busy. There are 80,000 people per square kilometre, most of them without access to running water, education, healthcare and employment.

There is no waste disposal system, and the river where the children play is clogged with filth and a serious health risk.

Here are plenty of posters for the country’s new president Rodrigo Duterte. He came here immediately after his inauguration and held a solidarity dinner with the poor, a gesture that only adds to his enormous popularity in a district where he won by more than 115,000 votes.

He promised the poor of the district they could sleep in the Malacanang presidential palace and pledged to use earnings from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation to pay for healthcare for the residents.

“He’s a very good president. He will fight drugs and corruption, and say no to criminals and rapists – that’s number one,” said mother-of-six Marietta Tacoralde, who lives in a shanty house off the main road in Tondo
. . .

Duterte’s crackdown on illegal drugs is popular as many of Tondo’s residents are hooked on shabu, or methamphetamines, and the violence linked to the drug trade is one of the reasons why the murder rate is so high in this district
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/a ... -1.2707230

It always staggers me that the Philippines are often blind when it comes to electing their President. In recent times Marcos, Estrada and Macapagal were all proven crooks, although Marcos was an evil, thieving and murdering bastard as well, propped up by the CIA until even it realised people power had won and it then forced him into exile.
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Captain Kirk
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Re: Another Warning About The Philippines

Post by Captain Kirk »

fountainhall wrote: It always staggers me that the Philippines are often blind when it comes to electing their President. In recent times Marcos, Estrada and Macapagal were all proven crooks, although Marcos was an evil, thieving and murdering bastard as well, propped up by the CIA until even it realised people power had won and it then forced him into exile.
Just the Philippines? You could do a tour of the world with the majority of that quote.
fountainhall

Re: Another Warning About The Philippines

Post by fountainhall »

The Head of the Philippines Human Rights Commission has been a constant critic of Duterte and especially of his war on drugs. Like Trump, Duterte has again spoken his mind. Referring specifically to the murdering of teenagers, Duterte responded with yet more slander -
“Why is this guy so ... suffocated with the issue of young people, especially boys? Are you a paedophile?” Duterte asked, adding “Why are you smitten with teenagers? Are you? I’m having my doubts. Are you gay or a paedophile?”
As further retribution, the CHC's requested budget of 1.72 pesos for 2018 was reduced to a mere 1,000 pesos (US$20) by Duterte's allies in Congress. The move effectively kills the HRC constitutional body in the entire country.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/ ... -criticism
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Smiles
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Re: Another Warning About The Philippines

Post by Smiles »

It would not surprise me at all if the head of the Philippines Human Rights Commission is found floating in a swamp in Mindanao.
Luckily, Trump so far lives in a small branch of the despicable Duterte mindset, not the main trunk. And let's hope he stays in the leaves amongst the low hanging rotten fruit.
Duterte The Murderer may well pull an end-game Mussolini one of these days.
Cheers ... ( and just one more reason why I love living in Thailand )

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fountainhall

Re: Another Warning About The Philippines

Post by fountainhall »

Sadly I think there is as much chance of Duterte ending up in the swamp as there is of Imelda Marcos apologising for all her husband's litany of crimes and returning the billions they plundered from the state. Odd how she is still adored by so many in that country she and Ferdinand raped so effectively.
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Gaybutton
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Re: Another Warning About The Philippines

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fountainhall wrote:returning the billions they plundered from the state.
She can keep the shoes . . .
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