Aquino questions distinction between human rights, lives

July 29, 2018

Former President Benigno Aquino III wondered on Saturday if there was any distinction between human rights and human lives.

Aquino made the statement in reaction to President Rodrigo Duterte's State of the Nation Address when he vowed to continue his "relentless and chilling" war against illegal drugs, noting that his critics' concern was "human rights, mine is human lives."

"He (Duterte) apparently said 'I'm more interested in human lives rather than human rights.' From where I came from, can that be separated?" Aquino told reporters in an interview in Quezon City.

He reminded Duterte that people, not only in the Philippines, but elsewhere, are accorded with basic human rights.

"Under the Constitution, everybody is entitled to due process," Aquino said.

Over 4,300 individuals who were allegedly involved in illegal drugs have already been killed in Duterte's war on drugs since July 2016.

Aquino said instead of hearing the claim of the Duterte administration's success on the war on drugs, there could be a need also to listen to the voice of those who have become orphan due to this bloody campaign. DMS