Press Release
June 22, 2017

SEN. LEILA M. DE LIMA ON THE CONTINUED KILLINGS IN THE WAR ON DRUGS
Dispatch from Crame No. 101

6 / 22 / 17

It's distressing to note that news coverage of summary killings, still happening on a daily basis, has been scarcer, hardly meriting any prominence in our dailies.

Is this a case of news fatigue, or worsening desensitization of the public's consciousness?

Yes, there are occasional reportage about awards from prestigious outfits for iconic photos or images (and I'm truly proud of the Pinoy photojournalists bagging those awards). However, except for EJK cases with human interest dimensions, we don't get to read about them anymore in most papers.

We don't even know what's the current running totals of the EJKs. Suddenly, the authorities have turned timid in their disclosure of the official body count of those killed during police operations and those slain by unknown assailants or vigilantes.

Are the figures being deliberately downplayed, and the whole EJK landscape sanitized? Are the official statistics being understated thru the ruse of reclassifying or renaming the actual category of the crime, or altogether outright non-recording? Remember that our authorities are allergic to the term EJK.

What about the unreported cases of EJKs? I keep hearing about them in certain urban areas like Caloocan and Taguig.

If actual incidents of summary executions are unreported, then so-called official figures cannot be truly reflective of the exact extent and magnitude of the carnage.

Unreported killings translate to corpses being unaccounted for. Where are they? Have they been dumped or thrown away in some river, bay or ocean (ala Samal Island) or buried in mass graves (ala Laud Quarry)?

I urge people to start asking questions and demand for transparency and accountability. And let's not stop asking until we get the answers, truthful answers.

Without them realizing it, by their silence or apathy, people have become complicit to these rampant killings.

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