With the rise of the new administration in the Republic of the Philippines, the

Duterte regime, it is also the rise of the word extra judicial killings. This is the rampant
killing of alleged drug users, drug dealers and drug lords. The Duterte administration has
campaign which is against illegal drugs. This is his promise of change, to put an end to
drugs but this promise brings so much issues to the government. Many citizens criticized
the administration especially the president due to the violation of human rights. Those
violations caught the attention of many people, not only here in our country but also from
international organizations and people around the world. The governments intention was
to eradicate illegal drugs but its so inhumane that this war on drugs campaign has been
associated with extra judicial killings which needs to be stopped.

The rapid extra judicial killings here in Philippines are not and will never be the
solution to the fight against drugs. All this time the human rights advocates, both local
and international are not in favor of what is happening in our country, the reason was
because some of those who died during this "oplan tokhang" are not really drug users nor
pushers, they are just victims. The "oplan tokhang" is a police movement where in they
would knock on the homes of the alleged drug users or drug lords to give them chance to
surrender but most of the time it will end up with the drug pushers being killed and the
policeman would say they fought back so they have no other choice than to kill the
person.

Nobody is authorized to take away life from anyone. Everyone has the right to live. It
is right to claim that even the criminals have the right to live. People who are supposed to
experience EJK are only those who use or who are involved in drugs but nowadays, EJK
is a hard punishment that once the government found out that you're involved to drugs, it
seems like they have the right to kill even without any trials. The Commission on Human
Rights have urged the Duterte administration to stop the violence and killing not just
because it is not right in the people's eyes but especially on the eyes of our Creator.

Human rights were widely violated by many who took advantage of the situation and
kill those innocent civilians who may or may not be on the influence of drugs through the
extra judicial killing. Whatever the reason of killing will never be valid. Human rights
violation in any way is not acceptable. The state has the obligation to protect its citizens
from any harm. Extra Judicial Killings have cause the many victims and the country so
much problems. It has to be solved and it has to be stopped.

Even President Duterte confessed, "My only sin is the extra judicial killings". For the
President to admit that EJK was his mistake, indeed, the formula of "blood and benefit" is
not really a good thing.

According to Ferrer (2017), extra judicial killing is an effective alternative to the

lacking of prison and rehabilitation centers in the country. Yes, EJK has positive side. The
drug lords, pushers and users may decrease but they will just be lessen but not totally
eliminated so extra judicial killing will never be a good or effective alternative to the
lacking of rehabilitation centers in our country.

The war on drugs campaign of the government has been associated with extra
judicial killings which needs to be stopped. The rapid extra judicial killings will never be
the solution to fight against illegal drugs. Many people died, both guilty and innocent, in
this iron-fisted movement of the authority. Nobody is authorized to take away life from
anyone because killing should be the last resort, not the first and only option.