Executions bring back memories of martial law abuses—Atienza

Buhay partylist Representative Lito Atienza . INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Buhay Representative Lito Atienza on Wednesday urged President Rodrigo Duterte to address the brutal summary killings of suspected drug pushers that hark back memories of the atrocities under martial law.

The horrifying scenario of slain drug suspects with faces covered with masking tape, hogtied and dumped on the streets of the metropolis has the same feel of the atrocities and human rights violations during the regime of the dictator Ferdinand Marcos when he imposed martial law, the pro-life lawmaker said during the press conference of the minority bloc.

READ: THE KILL LIST

“Ang nangyayari sa (what is happening in) summary killings, I cannot agree with that, in the same manner I rejected martial law because of that. Ang daming pinatay (Many were killed)… Abuse is happening every day, similar to those dark days of martial law,” Atienza said.

“Walang kalaban laban ang mga suspek (The suspects were killed without a fight),” he added of the summary killing of victims.

Atienza acknowledged that the dictator declared martial law at the time thousands of communist rebels are going up the mountains, but Duterte has to become wary of what’s going on if he does not want to suffer the same downfall as that of Marcos.

The dictator was toppled in a people’s uprising in Feb. 1986 that propelled to power the late president Corazon “Cory” Aquino, the widow of the opposition senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. who was slain during the Marcos regime.

“The command responsibility will take over the good intentions of the president. Eventually, he’ll be blamed for all of these, in the same way we blamed Marcos for martial law,” Atienza said.

“I want him to succeed. He should take note of what’s going on. Hindi tama ito (This is not right), it must be corrected immediately,” he added.

Atienza said Duterte may not even be aware of the abuses committed by the police who claimed the drug suspects were killed for resisting arrest.

“’Yung patayan na nangyayari (The killings that are taking place), he may not even be aware of that… That’s why we keep on reminding him, ‘You better check, Mr. President. That’s why Marcos failed, you may fail if you’re not able to correct this. You’re well intentioned, legal orders are given, but if these abuses continue, aabot tayo dun sa sukdulan (we might resort to extreme measures),'” Atienza said.

Atienza said he cautioned the president against a possible downfall as that of Marcos because he does not want the president to fail in his war against drugs.

“Ayoko naman pumalpak si Pangulong Duterte. Maswerte tayo na nagkaroon tayo ng presidenteng ganito (I do not want President Duterte to fail. We are fortunate to have a president like him),” he added.

Atienza made the statement at the height of the divisive issue about Duterte’s go-signal to give Marcos a hero’s burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, despite the latter’s history of abuse and plunder during his two-decade regime. IDL

READ: LOOK: Memo on burial of Ferdinand Marcos at Libingan ng mga Bayani | Duterte gives go-ahead for Marcos burial at Libingan