Women at risk on Duterte’s security program and war on drugs -CWR
Women, as one of the most vulnerable sectors in the society, is at risk of falling victims to the perils of having National ID system and Citizen National Guard, as what happened in war on drugs, according to the Center for Women’s Resources (CWR), a 35-year research and training institution for women.
The conduct of war on drugs has killed and affected hundreds of women and children. As of October 2017, CWR documented at least 120 women and girls killed in Duterte’s war on drugs, excluding those who were considered “collateral damage” and those who were hurt and in critical condition.
CWR maintains that the war on drugs, from the very beginning, is an anti-poor initiative of the Duterte administration that focuses on cracking down drug users in the marginalized sectors, instead of pushing these people to rehabilitation and resolving their pressing issues.
Further, CWR noted that the House of Representatives’ intense push to fast track the passage of House Bill 6221, or the bill establishing the Philippine Identification System (FilSys), and the apparent support of the Duterte administration to the creation of Citizen National Guard, a citizen organization of retired military officers, businessmen and Muslim personalities, are seemingly part of the government’s plan to establish a totalitarian state of mass surveillance and social, political and criminal profiling.
While the authors and supporters of the FilSys bill claim that national ID card system will ease access to basic social services, especially for the marginalized sectors; the CWR argues that this system will not resolve the issues surrounding the government’s inefficient delivery of social services and it may instead be abused for state surveillance and third party data leaks.
The CWR underscores that, considering the worsening human rights violations under the Duterte administration, national ID system may be maximized to intensify the war on drugs and expand martial law not only in Mindanao but also nationwide.
Meanwhile, the recent creation of Citizen National Guard poses additional threats to security of members of marginalized sectors, as the group, purportedly out to protect the president against “enemies of the state”, positions as the president’s private army. Essentially, CNG offers unsolicited paramilitary support, which is no different to the “offer” of vigilante groups in helping carrying out war on drugs.
Thus, CWR calls on the women sector to remain vigilant as the Duterte government continues to set conditions similar to martial law with threats brought about by National ID System and Citizen National Guard.
Center for Women's Resources (CWR)
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