Journal Entry #2 - The Effects of EJK to the Philippine Society
The Duterte administration is no newcomer to issues, scandals, and accusations, be it from lawmakers, foreign personalities, or even its own countrymen. One very recent issue, however, takes the spotlight because of its extremely harsh and infringing nature. Extra-judicial killings (EJK) have been the topic of all the news channels, news sites, radio stations, and the like, for the entire month. Not to mention, the issue is all over social media, with people expressing their opinions through Facebook wall posts, shared photos, comment wars, to name a few.
I will not be discussing the logistics, morals, or ethics regarding extra-judicial killings, as I fear I will end up writing a full-length essay, or perhaps a novella. However, I WILL be discussing the EFFECTS of the whole situation, be it good or bad, to society.
All this talk about EJK’s allows the people to really pay attention to what is happening in our Philippine society. It opens the eyes of those who previously thought nothing of political or societal matters, living their lives undisturbed by what is happening around them. With the rashness, the ruthless violation of human rights by the EJK’s, people are reacting, some even extremely, to the issue. This benefits the whole society because it raises the awareness of the Filipinos to the problems we experience as a country. It’s about time we start to speak up for what we believe in.
On the other hand, the increasing public outcry about the extra-judicial killings is causing the majority to lose even more trust in the government. Most people believe that a Duterte presidency would allow the Philippines to become a safer, better place. However, many have been disappointed by the scandals of the government, at its center, our very own President. Of course the people should be critical of the public officials which they themselves have elected into office, but the manner by which most are voicing out their opinions is often illogical and only aim to attack rather than review and critique. Yes, this is a matter of national urgency, but I believe that most people, especially those on social media, could have handled their arguments better. This also affects relations between one Filipino to another, as keyboard wars online are now commonplace, especially with regards to political matters. In standing up for what they believe is right, for justice, and for human rights, our countrymen are bringing each other down by blatant accusations, attacks and curses.
Which begs the question, how far are we willing to go to fight for our own beliefs, even if we know that the manner by which we fight is wrong? How is throwing attacks at one another conducive to fixing our societal issues? If we continue at this pace, we lose the opportunity to work together towards identifying the weaknesses of our government. The Philippine political scene is already as marred by scars as it is. We definitely do not need to add any more unnecessary wounds to it.