REACTION PAPER IN EXTRA JUDICIAL KILLING

Rose Shane L. Pacho Grade 11-ABM

Introduction

The illegal execution of a person is known as extrajudicial killing. It is in violation of human rights. It is the practice
of government authorities unlawfully killing somebody without any approval or legal process. The probe is barely
underway, and no formal complaint has been lodged. It immediately infringes on individuals' human rights by
preventing them from contacting their legal representatives or advisors.

In 2016, there was a case in the Philippines when the president advocated for the execution of suspected criminals
and drug addicts. The approach was intended to "neutralize" illegal drug personalities across the country, but it
was harshly denounced worldwide and locally later. The people of the Philippines stood up and denounced the
infringement of human rights.

Humans expect their basic rights and liberties to be respected. The state, or government, is the exclusive entity
responsible for promoting and protecting citizens' rights. The police department, the army department, the
judiciary, and the civic administration are all part of the state power.

Unfortunately, while performing their assigned duties, the duty men violate several rights. Extrajudicial executions
are among the most heinous violations of human rights. The term "extrajudicial" refers to something that is not
done in a court of law.

Body

President Duterte's national police are breaking laws they are supposed to enforce while profiting from the murder
of destitute people the government was supposed to help. The same streets that Duterte promised would be free
of crime are instead littered with the dead of those who were slain illegally by his own police."

Extrajudicial executions are illegal and premeditated killings carried out by officials on the orders of a government
or with its consent. Extrajudicial executions are a violation of both Philippine and international law's right to life.

The investigation details how police went into residences and shot unarmed people, including those who were
about to surrender, based on unreliable lists of persons supposedly using or selling drugs.

The police have consistently claimed that they were fired upon first, fabricating subsequent incident reports.
Witnesses told Amnesty International that the police conducted late-night raids, did not attempt an arrest, and
opened fire on unarmed people, thus contradicting the police's assertions. Witnesses alleged that in certain cases,
police planted narcotics and weapons that were afterwards claimed as evidence. The police have shown that they
can make arrests without resorting to lethal force in the few situations where they have targeted overseas meth
gangs. The fact that poor people are not afforded the same level of safety and respect has reinforced the notion
that this is a war on the poor.

The police killings are motivated by top-down pressures, such as an order to "neutralize" alleged drug offenders, as
well as financial incentives, according to the report. The targets are often drawn from unverified lists of people
suspected of using or selling drugs compiled by local government officials. They can find their names no matter
how long ago they used or sold narcotics, or how little they used or sold.
For me,it is not okay and it's not acceptable. Even those of us who are not particularly religious have been taught
that murdering is ethically abhorrent in the Philippines, which is a primarily Catholic country. However, as a result
of the countless lives lost to narcotics and drug-related crimes that have gone unpunished due to the country's
inadequate police and judicial institutions, there is a rising perception that desperate times call for desperate
measures. Many people want to see change in the shape of safer communities, and some even believe that
extrajudicial executions are a necessary part of the drug problem's solution.

In other circumstances, their names may be added randomly as a result of a vendetta or because there are
financial incentives to kill a larger number of drug users and sellers. Amnesty International is gravely concerned
that the authorities' apparent plot and organization of the premeditated, widespread, and systematic executions
of accused drug offenders may amount to crimes against humanity under international law. What is happening in
the Philippines is a calamity that should frighten the entire world.

Conclusion

In most countries, illegal killings by government officials and other strong groups are commonplace. Reports are
filed, but they are rarely investigated or analyzed. In the Philippines, there are still many examples of extrajudicial
executions and many challenges to overcome. Officers carrying out illegal executions, fatalities in custody, and fake
encounters continue to be widespread problems.

There are no specific laws or regulations prohibiting this activity. Despite the fact that the court has ordered a
special investigation and suggested that the National Human Rights Commission participate actively in it, Other
NGOs, such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and others, work against this. The United Nations
ensures the protection of core human rights, but it has never taken decisive action beyond directing nations to
conduct follow-ups.

Finally, to combat this crime, a strong act protecting people's right to life in the country is required, as is a change
in the laws that grant authorities powers and a shift in the mentality of powerful groups, as well as educating
people about their rights.

We are urging the administration, starting with President Duterte, to put an end to all extrajudicial executions
immediately. We also want the Philippine Department of Justice to look into and prosecute everyone implicated in
these killings, regardless of their level or position in the police or government.The Philippines should shift its drug
policy away from lawlessness and murderous violence and toward a paradigm that prioritizes health and human
rights protection.

"We urge the Philippine government to handle this human rights situation on its own." However, if significant
action is not taken immediately, the international community should request that the International Criminal
Court's Prosecutor conduct a preliminary investigation into these killings, including the role of the UN.