Nestled in the center of Mindanao’s Davao Gulf, Davao City is the Philippines biggest urban center in thems of land area.
So with a population of just over 2 million it has wide expanses that hold huge economic potential.
But that potential is held in check by its crime problem with authporities concerned about drug trafficking, and smuggling.
Now under scrunity is a problem that has grown in intensity this past decade: the bodies of youths subjected yo summarry executional, tagged colloquially as ‘salvagings.
They are victims of the Davao Death Squad – motorcycle-riding men who snatched reputed drug pushers and neighborhood criminals.
Disturbingly the mayor himself, outspoken lawyer Rodrigo Duterte is tagged by human rights advocates as being the coddler of the DDS.
Duterte does not flinch when asked about the accusation.
He says calmly, “I hate criminals. If there are people killng them that’s their look out.”
he Commission of Human Rights is looking into documented cases of some 800 extrajudicial killings since 1999 with new reports of fresh unmarked graves surfacing in recent days.
CHR Chair Leila De Lima says she has gotten information that people close to Mayor Duterte have direct knowledge about the activities of the Davao Death Squad.
The problem appears to be more deeply rooted than it seems, leaving Davao City literally drenched with the blood of youths deprived of both due process and their very lives
Popularity: 1% [?]
Isn't there 'moral Darwinism' at work?
What do you think of Duterte? Should Filipinos support him or do recommend for Filipinos to elect someone else?
The Davaoeños have not only recommended electing Duterte – but elected him six times.
Duterte is a street-smart decisive executive with balls.
The Davaoeños have not only recommended electing Duterte – but elected him six times.
Duterte is a street-smart decisive no-nonsense straightshooting executive with balls.
The Davaoeños (that subset of Filipinos who live in Davao City) have not only recommended electing Duterte – but elected him six times (two three-termers as mayor, one term as congressman).
?????
Hindi ba tTWO (three termers) PLUS ONE (congressman) equals THREE?
UP n grad, you are correct, my mistake.
Evil unto Evil…. There is no mercy in justice.
These salvage victims reaped what they sowed, they did evil things and turn their backs on the morals of a righteous society. Plus I see no problem in getting rid of scums, bottom feeders, scoundrels and crappy people. They had their chance in life yet they chose the path that would lead to their demise. Metro Manila could also use this brand of justice stone cold, swift and merciless. For minors that were wasted I believe they knew what was coming to them, and if you realize what they are capable of believe they are not worth saving, punishment is best for them (i.e. 3 minors boys raped a pregnant girl with a broomstick to death, for what reason for kicks or just to get of)this is true it was around febuary to early march of this year saw it in People’s Tonight.
I see this country in black and white, from pride to shame, it would help if the population of unproductive, useless, troublesome and evil people would be lessen, plus i think human rights for these cockroaches are useless and gay, it’s like tolerating their craft of evil and they would just harm the innocent and increase their numbers via influencing the youth. @ TROIT my friend i support your point of view, believe me as guy that works as courier (transporter like) and urban wanderer i’ve seen shit that I wish if I only I have the resources, strength, skill HIGH LEVEL ADRENALINE AND EXTRA LARGE BALLS I would get it done personally……..for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing….
Just personal. I like Davao City.
When the vigilante group was introduced there, I thought I like it too. And now, when this 'death squads' is introduced – as a variation to a theme – I seem inclined to like it just the same.
In the early 80s it was a pilot farm for assassinations targeted against abusive members of the PNP.
If people chose to re-elect Duterte, then it means they don't mind if the good mayor is the invisible hand behind the Davao Death Squads. I don't mind it, either.
Vigilante Justice is the call of the day in Davao. The Mayor tacitly approves it. He is like Benito Mussolini of
Italy during the Fascist Regime. He killed the Mafia people that they all fled to America. We are a Democracy
not a Fascist country.
When you have an inefficient national justice system that is unable to meet the public's clamor for swift and sure justice – the local public will find the means to deliver punishment. Duterte is just the messenger.
It's not only inefficient national justice system, it's a corrupt coin-operated justice system.
Are you kidding us, Ding? If PNP cannot even make a passable invistigation on Trining's suicide how much more on Death Squad. Wishful thinking.
i am glad this is under investigation. i hope also that journalists would focus their attention on problem, and share some basic info, like sino ba ang mga pinapatay? may pamilya ba sila, etc…
This murderous mayor Duterte should be arrested and put in jail, his Death squad members should be charged in details of there summary killings since in the first place. Wake up police and other law inforcement agency solved this problem right now wake up politician, stop the practice of corruption, greed of power. Remember a police officer is police in the whole Philippines but a mayor in davao city, is not mayor outside Davao City so why a Police in that region is like a puppet to this murderous,greed of power, corrupt and arrogant Mayor that continue his killing activity till now.
I agree with GabbyD….
and there is something disturbing about Pinoys (and I think BongV is one of them) who approve that 14-year-old and younger glue-sniffers are getting salvaged by Duterte.
And Alleba-Politics blogger asked a very simple question. HOW COME Drug Lords of Davao are still A-okay, ano nga ba si Duterte?
The majority of Duterte victims are from the slums as written in a Carlos-Conde report.
Carlos Conde reports : filthy, inner streets with a parallel universe. Gang members, drug dealers and street children fill the streets of these slums, much to the consternation of local officials, who consider them a blot on the city’s beauty, and utterly expendable as well.
I do not approve of 14-year-old and younger glue-sniffers getting salvaged. I believe they need to be rehabilitated and relocated to a better environment.
And that needs money and people.
All am posting are my empirical observations of Davao's residents' attitudes on the matter of vigilantism addressed toward violent criminals. Shooting non-violent young adults is another matter and might be the handiwork of criminal elements piggybacking on the DDS.
May I posit a scenario where Duterte is 'governor' of Metro Manila or say 'national anti-crime czar'?
It was posited in '96 – it was turned down. Those positions are dependent on an appointing body. Rudy is not about to leave his elective seat for an appointive one – a toothless position beholden to many patrons.
A further question have any of you guys been to Davao City?
There was a time Its Agdao district was nicknamed Nicaragdao. Paquibato district was and continues to also be a crime hotbed.
But is anyone here advocating that Duterte be given a blank check or to suspend the Bill of Rights in Davao City?
Ding,
Raised in Durianburg. Left after Erap Estrada became POTRP.
Agdao was named Nicaragdao primarily due to the urban insurrectionary atmosphere in the area as compared to other similarly militant areas in the city – Nicar-Agdao and Maa-Nagua. Crime within the context of that time was the body count of:
1. "salvaging" victims allegedly perpetrated by rogue government elements and;
2. alleged rogue government elements with "blood debts" against "the revolutionary masses".
3. the criminal elements that supposedly were under the protective umbrella of alleged rogue government elements.
There is allegedly a CPP/NPA presence in Paquibato. The actions of the CPP/NPA elements against government forces are recorded as crime against property and subsequently accounts for the upward curve in the crime statistics of Paquibato.
If once asked ask a couple of street vendors, taxi drivers, jeepney drivers, sales clerks, security guards in Davao, the same question you are asking now, the reply I got was more or less "the Bill of Rights in Davao City is suspended for criminals. But for peace-loving, law-abiding guests, the doors are very much wide open and no one will bother you".
Further is anyone cares to:
[youtube tU9HpNNG0zM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU9HpNNG0zM youtube]
Max Soliven on Rody Duterte- http://www.newsflash.org/2004/02/ht/ht004790.htm
Has any of your relative been a victim of drug pushers/dealers? If you do, will you be as sympathetic to them as you are now?
Whoa this is not an issue about being sympathetic to criminals or being unfeeling towards their victims.
This is about us allowing someone of people under the direction of someone to act as judge, jury and executioner.
In like manner are we saying here that due process and the criminal justice system, flawed as it may be should be discarded altogether?
I think what's being said is don't discard the justice system – optimize it.
to all who are against the summary executions in Davao:
1.I bet most of you are not residents from Davao – not really knowing the actual situation and relying only on the news… please don’t make harsh judgements on the city as if you’re all-knowing righteous human rights advocates.
In my Opinion:
If you are satisfied with the current justice system being enforced in your city, so be it…but PLEASE don’t compare yourselves to the majority of davaoenos who are not satisfied with the effectiveness of your justice system, whose HUMAN RIGHTS FOCUSES MORE ON PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF CRIMINALS INSTEAD OF THE LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS!
basically, the issue here is the rights of the suspected criminals being assassinated in Davao City…
question 1: WHOSE RIGHTS ARE WE ACTUALLY PROTECTING HERE? The criminals or the law-abiding citizens? “self-righteous” human rights advocates are easy to say to protect BOTH…but remember that CRIMINALS THEMSELVES VIOLATE HUMAN RIGHTS…protect both and whose at risk? the law-abiding citizens? YEAH RIGHT PROTECT THEM BOTH.
NOTE: it is even IRONIC for human rights nowadays to go and prosecute vigilant cities while tolerating the status-quo (even worsening) crime-stricken cities.
question #2: DUE PROCESS as you insist instead: is the PROCESS EVEN EFFECTIVE? the snatchers, drug-users and drug-pushers in your own cities will tell you how effective was the due process you are insisting.
– and to think also nowadays most of these thugs are minors(below 18) who, under the current law, cannot be detained for more than 24 hours…they commit crime—they’re caught—released—and guess what? commit crimes all over again.
self-righteous HUMAN RIGHTS watchpeople: IF YOU HAVE TIME TO INSIST THE RIGHTS OF THESE JUVENILES, PREVENT THEM FROM DOING CRIME…for here in Davao the vigilant majority WILL NOT their existence.