The other side of the Philippines' war on drugs - 7-year-old girl murdered by drug dealer, prompting more support for Duterte

'Duterte is a good man.'

A 7-year-old girl was murdered by an alleged drug dealer in the Philippines, highlighting the atrocities occurring at the hands of drug dealers and users in the country.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Many have come against Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte's controversial consent and encouragement of extrajudicial killings of all drug dealers to help clean the streets - but looking at the horrors innocent victims suffer helps the world realize why President Duterte rules the way he does.

The Philippines President has certainly shaken his country, first by his controversial methods for the war on drugs, then by his demand for U.S. troops to leave hi country, yet 86 percent of Filipinos "trust" in his performance.

Why?

CNN reported several Filipinos trust in President Duterte because he is "nothing short of awesome."

Dr. Lorraine Badoy, a long-term volunteer and NGO worker, believes the previous president was not as involved as Duterte, who she considers a man of action.

"He got things done that other presidents haven't," Dr. Badoy shared of Philippines President Duterte. "They didn't even try."

She explained not everything Duterte says is something she agrees with, such as his "unfortunate" Hitler-related remarks, prompting her to say, "I wish he'd shut up and do what he does best," but she admits his war on drugs has turned things around.

Before, drug dealers and users did as they pleased, as evidenced by the recent murder of a 7-year-old girl covered by the Daily Mail.

The moment the girl's parents were told of her death in Manila, cameras snapped and the mother's shocked stares are just as heartbreaking as the father's uncontrollable wails and tears.

Drug-related deaths were soaring before President Duterte came into power and Dr. Badoy believes his work is why drug dealers are now "afraid of him."

She added, "Where before there was no respect for the law, now there is. [He has truly done] amazing things."

Christina Fabiala, a 53-year-old mother of three, voted for Duterte because he stands out among politicians.

"He has the guys to do what no other politicians did before," she said. "Traditional politicians mostly catered for rich people...Duterte, he can talk to the people the way poor people talk.

"If you saw [former President] Aquino on the street, you'd look the other way: you'd be shy. But if you saw Duterte, you could go: 'Hi, president! How are you? He's like us.'"

Fabiala defended President Duterte, saying "he's not killing people. He just says things in the media."

She explained vigilante groups use his words as an excuse to kill people, "So these words then come back to him," she said. "And he's the bad guy."

Though she stuck up for the President, Fabiala did admit he needs to start aiming a bit higher.

"Filipino people are also in need of housing, food, education, and labor," she said. "If he really wants to help the Filipino people, he needs to broaden the horizons."

Jr. de Guzman, a 30-year-old casino employee, is a huge fan of President Duterte and whole-heartedly supports the war on drugs taking place in the Philippines.

"I like it when [President Duterte] says, 'My God, I hate drugs!'" de Guzman shared. "It's so beautiful, like Duterte's heart is really in his outbursts...There is nothing to fear if you're not doing anything against the law...We live here. We know the problems we have here. And Duterte is a good man."

Not everyone agrees with President Duterte's approval of the current methods to fight the war on drugs but no one can claim his efforts are for nothing.

Since the crackdown on drugs, the Philippines has seen a dramatic drop in drug dealers and users, with several hundred dealers turning themselves in before they can be killed.

Is murder the best answer for drug problems? Perhaps not - but the majority of Filipinos seem to be happy with the quick response time and positive changes in their communities.

---

'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'

Copyright 2021 - Distributed by Catholic Online