It's Time to End US Military Aid to the Philippines

[Judi Lynn]

APRIL 10, 2019
by AMEE CHEW

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody “War on Drugs” has now claimed over 27,000 lives — almost all poor and indigent people, including children, summarily executed by police or vigilantes.

Over 140,000 pre-trial detainees are being held in overcrowded Philippine prisons, many on trumped up drug charges; 75 percent of the total prison population still awaits their day in court, let alone conviction. On top of this, assassinations of human rights lawyers, journalists, labor and peasant organizers, indigenous leaders, clergy, teachers, and activists are spiraling out of control.

Duterte has systematically silenced voices of political dissent, jailing Senator Leila DeLima, an early drug war critic; ousting Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, who opposed the imposition of martial law in Mindanao; and now arresting Maria Ressa, internationally renowned journalist and executive editor of the indy outlet Rappler.

Meanwhile, less known to U.S. audiences, Duterte has dropped bombs on Philippine soil over 368,391 times — and some 450,000 civilians have been displaced by militarization. After scuttling peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), Duterte has jailed internationally protected peace consultants. And in January, consultant Randy Malayao was murdered in cold blood by armed hit men.

More:
https://www.counterpunch.org/2019/04/10/its-time-to-end-us-military-aid-to-the-philippines/

[dalton99a]

1. Probably half of that money goes straight to Duterte and his cronies.

[MosheFeingold]

2. They're assholes

But they are "our" assholes.

China, which is an existential threat to the free world, is next door.

Ergo, assholes get money.