An Open Letter to the President of the Philippines, Rodrigo “Digong” Roa Duterte

"I will kill you." a phrase you said in an interview held in mid-2020, which the whole nation
heard. The words that came out of your mouth quickly spread throughout this country's news media and
resonated through every ear that heard it. Even though the message you delivered focuses directly on
those who still do illegal drug deals, every person that heard it had fear struck in their hearts and minds.
You started your regime with those words; we would have been brimming with hope and comfort that our
safety from drug-related crimes would rest assured. But hearing it now would only make us fear this war
more, for no one knows anymore where your policemen's guns aimed. Statistics showed that from the
beginning of the Oplan Tokhang in July 2016 to June 2018, there are 33 people killed each day, and the
averaged from the 23,518 total drug-related homicide cases. But only the deaths were counted, not the
number of children who became fatherless/motherless nor the number of widows or widowers who lost
their other half. Not the number of mothers who lost their child nor the number of families who lost a
loved one. Not the number of dreams shattered by bullets nor the number of lives who would've taken a
turn and changed for the better. Whether the police executed themselves or by vigilantes, the number of
deaths is part of the success of your drug-fighting project. And the worst part? No one, not even this
statistical study, knows the number of murdered innocent people in cold blood in that total number
specified. So tell me, why do you speak for a war that seeks peace when the battle leads the country only
to destruction?
So tell me, was this part of your expectations when you started the project? Tell me, was peace
even an option? For in what you do, it seems as if it's not. As if it never was. There are countless ways in
which you could have resolved the problem and resolved the conflict through different methods that don't
include immediate termination of human life, for it is still everyone's right to live. You decided to bring
death to the drug problem of this country, but along with it is the respect for life, which also ended. And if
you have not seen the country's current state; yet, numerous cases where people in authority use their
power for their agendas are all over the media. So tell me, was it worth it? Who do we call when the
criminals wear badges, where the appearance of the killer was unlike those in the movies who wear a
ghoul mask and carry a machete's sheath on his side; yet, the killer wears a blue cap and a blue uniform.
How are you going to halt the monster you created, which slowly crushes peace, leaving only terror on
the people you were supposed to protect? A juggernaut that can only be stopped by another juggernaut
and the question is, would you stand up to your mistakes and be it? For once, do not tell me your answer.
Prove it. Do what needs to be done and give us the peace you promised us. This battle fought long enough
already, and there's nothing more to gain but unnecessary bloodshed. It may not be possible to go back to
the past and create a new beginning, but you can still start now and create a new ending. End this war
before this war ends us, President Rodrigo Duterte.
What we need is social harmony and peace within the community that enables the citizens to be
harmonious and feel safe and calm, and eliminates social barriers hindering them in uniting and becoming
one. It leads to preventing social pressures and guaranteeing everyone in building each other without
competing as well as having a self-progress. Peace and should be part of the priority of the government in
establishing their programs; they must secure peace as it was the right of every individual regardless of
their social status. It can attract the development of ventures that produce new work opportunities and
entices travelers to come and visit our place. And to you, who reads this letter, considering all of these,
you should assess and evaluate the performance of the president without prejudices and relies only on the
facts presented. Use these as the cornerstone in choosing the new future leaders; who promote integrity,
authenticity, justice, and above all, universal peace. A leader that can truly change the system for the
better without sacrificing the lives of many innocent people and puts people as the topmost priority.
References:

‘I will kill you’: Philippines’ Duterte renews drug war threat. Aljazeera.com. (2020). Retrieved 24
October 2020, from https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2020/06/05/i-will-kill-you-philippines-
duterte-renews-drug-war-threat/.
Talabong, R. (2018). At least 33 killed daily in the Philippines since Duterte assumed office. Rappler.
Retrieved 24 October 2020, from https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/in-depth/pnp-number-deaths-
daily-duterte-administration.
World Report 2020: Rights Trends in Philippines. Human Rights Watch. (2020). Retrieved 24 October
2020, from https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2020/country-chapters/philippines.