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[av_heading heading=’ ABOVE THE LAW ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY AYIN DREAM D. APLASCA
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Thursday, August 3, 2017
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Collateral damage
I WENT home late last night. I had to walk from the office to Delgado Street just to take a taxi home. It wasn’t bad walking and looking at the city’s empty streets and closed store buildings. But what caught my attention were the kids on the streets wearing school uniforms and helping their parents sell goods.
Apart from helping their parents, I noticed that some washed car windows, sold toys and handkerchiefs, and guarded parked cars and motorcycles.
I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth, I thought. But I know I’m way too far from what I saw. The space between where I am now and where they are now has a big difference.
I wonder how much weight the current administration gives to this. Like most people, I am one of those rare ones who actually think of the situation of these kids. In Iloilo City, we are fortunate that our homes are safer compare to other places. Why?
News about the President’s war on drugs is numbing and traumatic. We are still blessed that we can still go home and sleep soundly at night without distressing ourselves with the fact that maybe, just maybe, masked men with guns drive around in motorcycles and cross streets and blow a shot.
Suspected drug addicts are gunned down. No matter how innocent one may be, his life is already at the end of a gun.
Of course, there is no doubt that some have been killed because they were not innocent. Others were really taking in illegal drugs and it might have loosened their minds. However, whether taking in or possessing illegal drugs was done on their own or not, I believe a requisite punishment should be imposed. A punishment that recognizes humankind.
The law should not only favor a select few. The law should not be stretched to protect those who kill in the false pretense of justice.
The law should not yield to those who have done you favors in the past. The law should not favor those with heavier wallets.
The law should not be coy on those who deserve punishment.
Sadly, human corpse is accepted as collateral damage. The question almost everyone asked is: Who’s next?
(Atty. Ayin Dream D. Aplasca practices her profession in Iloilo City. She may be reached thru ayindream.aplasca@gmail.com/PN)
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