Since the day that Duterte campaigned for Presidency, he stated that drug dealing and addiction

was one of the major problems in the country’s economic and social progress. He then promised to
eliminate a large-scale of drug dealers and addicts the same with what he did to Davao when he was still
the mayor. When Duterte won the election for presidency, he the said “go ahead and kill” drug addicts.
The state statement was widely understood as an endorsement of extrajudicial killings, as it has created
conditions for people to feel that it’s appropriate to kill drug users and dealers. What have followed seem
to be vigilante attacks against alleged or suspected drug dealers and drug addicts. The police are engaged
in large-scale sweeps. The Philippine National Police also revealed a list of high-level political officials and
other influential people who were involved in the drug trade. Since then it resulted to extrajudicial deaths
of thousands of alleged drug dealers and users across the country. One of the dominant drugs in the
Philippines is a variant of methamphetamine called shabu. According to the UN, Philippines had the
massive rate of methamphetamines abuse, it showed 2.2 percent of the Filipino between sixteen (16) to
sixty-four (64) years old were involved with the so-called drug. It is also said there that one-fifth of the
barangays present in the country has evidences od drug use, drug trafficking or drug manufacturing. The
first article describes the WAR ON DRUGS that is being conducted in the country of the Philippines.
Another article from Rappler where they reported the tally of deaths during the Drug war, PDEA stated
that there are 5,050 people killed during the said war. This is the latest count as of November 30 where
they conducted 115,435 government anti-drug operations, while 164,265 drug personalities have been
arrested so far. Majority of the operations were carried out by the Philippine National Police (PNP). Along
with this the PDEA also recorded 606 government workers who were arrested in anti-drug operations.
These were 280 government employees, 260 elected officials, and 66 uniformed personnel.

Both of the articles only proved that at some point, the war-on-drugs being conducted has
something to do with the violation on human rights. Despite the fact that Duterte is currently our
President, it does not mean that he is excused in the violation on human rights. As a quote
say, “The rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened.” This means
that no one is excused. Once you threaten a person’s right you are violating your own. This war on drugs
violate several human rights that are both found in the Philippine Constitution and the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights which were made to protect every single person that is living here on earth.
One of the rights that is violated in the UDHR is the Article 3 that states “every one has the right to life,
liberty and security of person”. Even if that person is a drug user or dealer, no one has the right to take
their life for they have equal rights as them. There are other ways to punish that person not just by killing
them. The second right that was violated is the Article 5 that states “No one shall be subjected to torture
or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”. We cannot deny that some authorities are
taking advantage on people who are suspected to be a drug users or dealers. Some torture the person
before they go to trial. Third is the Article 9 that states “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest,
detention or exile.” The PEDEA who are holding the lists of suspected people violates this right for they
sometimes are randomly selecting people to be on the list. Fourth is the article 10 that states “Everyone
is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the
determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.” The drug users or
dealers did not get the chance to prove themselves that also violates the article 11 in which it states “(1)
Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty
according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defense. (2) No
one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a
penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier
penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.” Also
the right to privacy was violated for they search the place of the suspect sometimes even without the
proper process.

The rights above that are listed are not the only rights that was violated for we still have to
consider the presence of our constitutionalized law. It would be a massive talk if we still wrestle about
those. Let us all be reminded that we are all born equal and the UDHR is yours no matter what your race,
religion, sex, language or nationality. You have the right to live, be free and have safety where ever you
go. We must also remember that we have the responsibility to respect others rights.