Slaughter of Innocents

Apart from murders of human rights and social-activists in the Philippines, there have been many forms of arbitrary deprivation of lives that are taking place there claiming dozens, if not hundreds, of lives that remains largely unnoticed;

“Legitimate encounter“: these are deaths of persons, mostly civilians, who have been killed on pretext of armed encounter between security forces, soldiers and police, and illegal armed groups, rebel and “terrorist” groups.

“Vigilante killings”: these are murders of persons who are accused of having involvement in criminal activities, gang warfare, former detainees, recidivists offenders, or those who had histories of criminal cases.

It refers with notoriety to a shadowy group Davao Deaths Squads (DDS); but as similar violence had also started occurring in its neighboring cities, the term DDS had also evolved in colloquial terms into Dadiangas Death Squads, Digos Death Squads–which refers to Davao’s two close by cities.

“Gang War”: Deaths supposedly motivated by gang rivalry; however, most victims’ death are being concluded as such even prior to a thorough investigation. Also, there are claims that the perpetrators could have been hirelings by security forces themselves, or had links with rogue police.

“Shootout/Rubout”: These are deaths of crime suspects often during police operations. The former claims the persons were killed because they fought or trade bullets with the police; while the latter is the opposite it. Rubout, as the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) describes it, is a summary killing. When it is concluded the deaths were a result of shootout, the police has no accountability for it. However, there have been deaths wherein the persons had been killed without putting a firefight at all.

However, regardless of how they termed these deaths, these are obviously a result of the police and the government’s failure and inability to protect the lives of their citizens; and to hold those responsible to account.

This blog aims to document and expose various forms of arbitrary deprivation of lives taking place in the Philippines.