In the name of the Holy Spirit: Dela Rosa’s defense of drug war killings
He who once said, “Shit happens,” when a little child was killed in this ugly war on drugs is the same man who uttered, “The Holy Spirit just guides me. The Holy Spirit is guiding me all the time.”
He who never regretted his participation in the bloody, brutal, and cruel war on drugs is the same man who proudly says, “The Holy Spirit just guides me. The Holy Spirit is guiding me all the time.”
His tone is loud and clear: “No regrets. If you are going to give me the chance to do it again, I will do it again. The same approach.” Former Philippine National Police chief and now Sen. Ronald ”Bato” dela Rosa admitted that his hands were tainted with blood. “There’s no one else involved in ’tokhang’ but me, right? So, with all due respect, I will respond. If my hands are tainted by blood, I’m not ashamed of it. If my hands now are tainted by their blood, it’s the blood of dangerous people.” This is how he considers the Holy Spirit have guided him—to the killings of thousands of the poor.
Anyone can claim belief in and articulation of God and assert their individual and personal “manipulation” of who God is. While it is said in Genesis that God created humans in God’s image, people tend to create God after their own image. Biblical scholars, theologians, bishops, people of the pews, priests, pastors, and deaconesses are entitled to define who God is in their lives, according to the meaning-giving of experiences as they journey along. The Lord’s Prayer itself has a different interpretation, meaning, and utterance between the rich, powerful few and the ones whose daily dream is to eat a decent meal.
At the time the killings occurred, the prayer of the families and victims was a cry to save their loved ones. We can imagine victims pleading to police officers like their lives depended on the gun and power standing before them. So, it happened. The ones who finished off more than 6,000 poor individuals became the power gods who considered themselves the authors of life and death. Or they could be Satan’s league. The command came from Oplan Double Murder, aka tokhang, by then President Rodrigo Duterte, who is now safely jailed at the ICC premises. Unlike those in Philippine jails, Duterte will never have a pigsa (boil), won’t miss meals, or be unattended by medical doctors. His facilities and basic needs must be simple, but certainly his rights must be observed.
There is one common denominator about belief, faith, and religion. That is, loving God, who is unseen, and loving our neighbor, our people, the others whom we see each day. (I John 4:7-8, 20). The only indicator of religiosity and having God in one’s life is how well he or she loves her or his neighbor.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.” (Galatians 5:22) “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.” (v. 20)
How can a former PNP police chief, now senator, claim that the Holy Spirit is guiding him all the time? Was the Holy Spirit an accomplice in the killings?
When the Supreme Court declared the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte unconstitutional, Dela Rosa said, “I’m not a lawyer, as I’ve said, but I believe that nobody is supreme or above the Supreme Court—except God.”
Dela Rosa, God, who always sides with justice, with the poor and victims of corruption, is not done yet.
It is also written, “And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” 2 Corinthians 11:14.
NORMA P. DOLLAGA
kasimbayan@yahoo.com.ph
