Last Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte joked about using Marijuana to keep himself awake. He made a reference to the reports that he missed events during the Asean Summit meeting at Singapore last month so he could take “power naps”.
We’ve heard various jokes from the president. Some even became huge issues as people perceive it as inappropriate and I can’t blame them for thinking such. Indeed, the president made insensitive jokes every now and then – which is very much unlikely from a person in an honorable position. It is also out in the open that our president is not the most respectful man out there. He made disrespectful remarks regarding women and even made a joke about rape. Even more he also joked about his inhumane war on drugs wherein thousands of Filipinos were killed.
The joke may not be serious or many would say that it something that should not be taken seriously. But hearing it from a man in authority, especially the most powerful man in the country, makes it unacceptable.
In the span of almost three years, thousands of Filipinos have been killed due to the Philippine War on Drugs. Particularly the victims consist of Filipino masses – making the drug war questionable. To make things worse, some of the victims are innocent men, women and even children. This includes 17 year-old Kian Delos Santos who was mercilessly killed by three police men. Kian was believed to be carrying drugs during the time he was murdered but was eventually proven innocent.
Many lives were lost under the Duterte regime and to joke about Marijuana use is not something to laugh about.
Almost everyday a Filipino or two are killed without mercy all because Duterte’s unnecessary war on drugs. While it is true that drug pushers and dealers are considered as criminals, to kill thousands of Filipinos is inhumane. It is not just the lives lost that’s what in stake, but also the families who were left without a father, mother, son, or daughter, are also affected by Duterte’s war on drugs.
Jokes may sound harmless and sometimes do not necessarily. But it must be remembered that we are responsible for our choice of words as some people may take it the wrong way. Even more to joke about something that’s not to be laughed about crosses the line. Issues such as rape, abuse, and extrajudicial killings are serious problems which many Filipinos face today – and it is not something we should shrug off and laugh about.
While we are concerned about what ever words come out from our president, we must also be vigilant of his actions. His insensitive jokes and remarks might distract us from the important matters such as the approval on federalism and the negotiation with China.
Today, our country faces numerous problems here and there. While the president should be a role model for every Filipino and lead them towards progress, recently he has been doing otherwise. It is a challenge for us to be resilient and vigilant with everything that is going on with our country and continue to fight for our rights. This is also a challenge for our president to not be a manipulator but be a leader to the Filipino people.
Change is something that should we work for. It does not happen overnight. It also does not depend solely on one person but it takes a lot of people to work for it. If we truly want change for this country, it is a matter of time that we strive for it.
