'Enough of Human Rights', 'Kill, Kill, Kill',
and a spate of system-led terror
The recent atrocities brought by the order against the folk has clearly showed that its representative Duterte and his camarilla as seriously having an utter disregard to human rights.
Driven by the idea of destroying the growing armed struggle from the left, the Duterte administration has pointed its guns to the unarmed, mostly activists whose calls for land, bread, sovereignty, and justice, altogether as tantamount to "subversion" and "terrorism." Sounds familiar isn't it? For as Duterte, like his predecessors, in swearing to upheld the old rotten order are by themselves willing to drench their hands into blood- killing the urnarmed "concerned" simply because of a decades-old problem of national sovereignty and social justice.
Worse, to hear words from the president himself: "Kill Kill Kill", of laws like the "Anti Terrorism Act", and the mobilisation of state forces in conducting "Oplan Tokhang"-like operations against activists. These actions showed serious disregard to human rights with growing number of police and military personnel, mostly paid hacks of interest, grumbling over a brazen crimes that they are being made to commit.
With this it is quite doubtful that the order will succeed in winning hearts and minds of the folk. The murders and mass arrests of activists and community leaders showed that the "dirty war" Duterte initiated isn't just pointing against the left or simply community leaders, it points against the growing concerned as the president employs his armed thugs to instil fear among the folk in hopes of making them bow to his will. This is no "Change" nor an act of "uphelding democracy" as what his supporters think of- it is but a continuity of once was. "Forget about human rights" as what Duterte said. If so, then yes, may as well forget that the country uphelds the right for free speech, press, expression, assembly, and the likes as his men "trying their best" to control people's movement especially in this time of pandemic. Forget about his claims that "change" has brought to the country when in fact it was all but a continuity of repression, corruption, and interest. And if he claims about "oligarchs" against him, the fact that most "oligarchs" stood beside him joining in his agenda of upholding the order against a concerned, if not an angry populace.
Perhaps, in a time of disquiet brought by the order, expect popular resistance; and in turn, expect facing slander, threat, death, as the president himself ordered state forces to "ignore human rights" and "Kill, Kill, Kill". For the order, this doesn't matter whether that person was armed or not, but from the presidential rant itself turns out the words becoming basis for an intensified conflict- even in this pandemic period wherein people are seriously in need of solidarity in various forms. Indeed, these are difficult what more of dangerous times. It is not surprising for what Duterte did was as same as those in the past-coming from leaders whose "sworn to promote justice" turns out to be upholding order on the side of interest. Using whatever situation just to maintain the supremacy of "interests" over those of the nation. Again, as said, expect a growing concerned willing to resist even in this time of pandemic and aggravated by system-sponsored chaos. Right is Leni Robredo that "the Filipino people deserve better than this murderous regime".