Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care
of Migrants and Itinerant People
Pastoral Statement On Extra Judicial Killings
This survey shows that the issue of Extra Judicial Killings should be one that the present administration should addressed. It is a bothersome and worrying issue because lives are being taken without regard to the law. That is, violent and lawless people are taking matters into their own hands and this is something that a nation that functions under a rule of law should regard as totally unacceptable.
There must be a determined effort by the government to investigate these crimes and likewise bring the perpetrators to justice or our country could descend into chaos, and lives taken willy-nilly. It should put a stop to EJKs.
The “war on drugs” should be examined, evaluated so that it would not go beyond the parameters of the law and not be considered as a blanket endorsement or encouragement of the murder of purported criminals.
Thou Shalt Not Kill is a commandment of God because life is a gift from Him and is surrendered to Him according to His divine plan. Those who take life away have blood on their hands and would answer to divine retribution.
A society that relies on murder to keep order will never have complete, lasting peace. It will only be a society of fear; a society paralyzed and numbed by rampant occasions of murder. It will be a society without a conscience.
+Ruperto C. Santos
Bishop of Balanga
and CBCP ECMI Chair
