The Davao Death Squad

Davao City would be a good example of an ideal city, a city that has been under the hands Mayor Duterte for about 10 yrs. Under his name, the Davao City has improved in terms of crime rates, discipline and other aspects. While he was the mayor of the city, it was said that he was involved in the death squad that was responsible for killings that was happening then.

The Davao Death Squad is an active vigilante group in Davao City, Philippines. Reports have shown that they have been responsible for the summary killings that were happening in Davao City for the past few years. Reports said that they were responsible for executing drug traffickers and all criminal actions in Davao City. Rodrigo Duterte being the mayor at that time was a prime suspect of the death squad. He was said to be liable of the killings of the squad.

Drug dealers, criminals with intense crime, and other illegal trading were assassinated. Many of the victims purportedly had criminal records, giving rise to suspicions that the so called Davao Death Squad were behind their deaths. If the Davao Death Squad would continue, crime rate would be lower, innocent lives would be protected, and the value of life would be strengthened.

Counterclaims

Promotes death penalty

In fact, death penalty is a good way to control the crime rates and illegal transaction. If there is death penalty, there would be no death squad. Death squad aims to assassinate illegal citizens who commit crime in the city. If there is death penalty, the death squad would have no use because the death squad is promoting death penalty. So both are on the same side and are on the same page. Life is indeed precious, and I believe the death penalty helps to affirm that fact which makes the death squad in the same line with death penalty.

Decline of Tourism

Ever since the Davao Death Squad has been investigated, the tourism of Davao City was not affected. The Death Squad is not something that every tourist should know about Davao City. Davao City is well known for its peace and order. It is known to be in good hands of Mayor Duterte. If people would come visit Davao, there’s nothing to worry about being assassinated by the Death Squad unless if that person is bringing illegal transaction in the city. Actually, it was stated that the tourism of Davao City has increased since 1998 to 2004. If the tourism of Davao would decrease, the death squad has nothing to do with it. The fact that the death squad promotes peace and order, it attracts tourist knowing that the city is safe from crime and illegal deals.

Claim

Controls the crime and illegal trading

The Davao Death Squad has been active ever since the crime rate in Davao City was high. When the death squad became active in the community, criminal activities were less. Knowing that it terminates those who are involved in illegal transactions, it controls the crime and illegal transactions that are happening in Davao City. The death squad assassinates those who are poisoning the city with heavy crime and illegal activities

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With this kind of scheme, it alarms every citizen of Davao City to be aware of this vigilante group. Fear will help control crime and the illegal transactions of the city. Criminals would just continue to do their thing when sanction is very low like going to jail and still be released soon. The probability of the people to stop and to avoid illegal transactions would be high, knowing that they will be a target of assassination if they would ever proceed with illegal activities. If the death squad will be continued, it would intimidate the criminals and illegal sectors that are within the city thus it controls the crime.

Claim

Strengthens the value of life through serious justice

It strengthens people in the notion that Davao is a city where justice is being taken seriously, however to an excessive point, some may argue. Human rights don’t necessarily stand for peace. The death squad only takes down the social deviants. As stated in the reports, the killings of the death squad where all criminal suspects that were involved in a major issue. The individual criminals were just taken to jail, but once an individual is making a lot of mess in the society as a whole, knowing that they’ll just get out of jail and do evil things all over again, will be assassinated.

Justice is what every city aims to have but justice can never be taken seriously with no serious punishments that would abolish the crimes and illegal entries. Mayor Duterte remains to be a powerful figure of Davao city. He aims to have peace and order in the city. Sources have stated that other higher officials have agreed that Duterte has improved the peace and order of the city in his hands. Nobody knows if he is involved in the death squad but what we know is the death squad has helped Duterte improve the peace of the city. Mayor Duterte explained his perspective in an interview that if you are doing an illegal activity in the city, if you are a criminal or part of a syndicate that preys on the innocent people of the city, for as long as he is the mayor, you are a legitimate target of assassination. Whoever is behind all this, or if it may really be Mayor Duterete, he is justifiable in his conquest for peace.

It strengthens the value of life because it has a higher regard for the value of a person’s life. Nothing would intimidate the criminals, no other than the death squad. It is similar to how the penalty goes if a person commits a crime. It is by stating the highest penalty for committing a major crime like, taking away of human life, that we establish the highest value of human life.

Claim

Protects innocent lives

There was a woman who works at a gym as a trainer. One early morning, she was walking her way to work when she walked by a small street at the corner, she passed by a small store where there were groups of men who were drunk. The woman was abused with the drunken men. She was then stabbed many times until the woman lost her life. The next week, the drunken men were reported to be assassinated by the death squad.

If the drunken men were not put to death by the death squad, it is not an assurance that those men would not kill an innocent life again. Once someone is involved in a serious crime, there’s always a time when they will do it again. Innocent lives are at risk if these criminals are outside claiming to be innocent. If guilty lives are being protected, we are bringing innocent lives in the line. If these criminals are put to jail, knowing that they did a serious criminal once, great chance is that they’ll do it again after being set out of jail. If these criminals are put to death, there is this assurance that they won’t do the same mistake again.

First of all, there would be no death squad if crime was taken seriously in the society. Sad to hear that the justice system of a society fails to function which results to the death squad. It could be possible that the public is no longer satisfied with the security system of the city. One of the best ways to guarantee the protection that a society would want is to give surety that convicted murders do not slaughter again.

VI. Conclusion

Although some may argue that the Davao Death Squad is immoral, they should face the fact that it promotes serious justice and peace in the city. The death squad remains to be a powerful tool in controlling crime, strengthening the value of life, and protecting innocent lives. The death squad has been proven to control the crime rates in the city. It shows that the city does not promote illegal transaction within the borders of the society. There is a higher probability that criminals would get intimidated of the death squad that would avoid them from doing crime. The death squad strengthens the value of life through serious justice. It gives a higher regard for the value of a person’s life. By means of stating the highest penalty for committing a serious crime, we establish the highest value of human life. The death squad shuts down criminals to protect innocent lives from harm. It gives that assurance that these criminals will not kill again. The Davao Death squad would have a big impact in promoting peace and order of Davao City.