Opinion: Who Really Killed the Gregorios?
We were entering the final days of 2020. People all over the country were preparing for Christmas and the coming of the new year. There was an atmosphere of celebration and hopefulness. For a while, it seemed that people could forget about their problems and look forward to a better year where everything will turn out okay. However, during this traditionally joyous time, bangs resounded across the country to wake the people up from their pleasant dreams. And no, I am not talking about the explosion of firecrackers and fireworks.
Just a few days before Christmas, a video of a policeman shooting two people dead went viral on social media. The policeman caught on the video was then-Police Senior Master Sergeant Jonel Nuezca and the two civilians he killed were Frank Gregorio and his mother Sonya Gregorio. The shooting occurred on December 20 in the Tarlac province.
This incident is one of far too many in the long string of police killings that have occurred over the past four years of the current administration’s leadership. We must not forget 17-year-old Kian delos Santos, who was murdered in an anti-drug operation despite lack of evidence, or 13-year-old Aldrin Pineda, who was killed while hanging out with his friends. Then there are the killings of Winston Ragos, Reynaldo de Guzman, Carl Arnaiz, and many more at the hands of police officers. Some might claim that it is only a coincidence that these killings occurred during the term of the current administration. However, there is too much evidence that suggests otherwise.
For one, the president has been promoting a nationwide culture of violence and impunity ever since he took office. He has been encouraging police officers, army soldiers, and even civilian vigilantes to kill people who are suspected drug users or pushers even without sufficient evidence. He gave “shoot to kill” orders regarding organized criminals and people who resist arrest. He even declared that he would protect those who will perform extrajudicial killings, saying that they will never go to prison on his watch. This declaration seems to hold true as extremely few police officers have been prosecuted and held accountable for the roles they have taken in the illegal killings. Meanwhile, narco lists containing the names of people who are allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade have also been released and some were even personally read out by the president. Many people on these lists have already had their lives taken by police officers or vigilantes.
What the president has been doing may seem good to some people. These people say that we would be better off getting rid of drug pushers and criminals without having to wait too long for the process of the law. However, the implications that these things have are terrifying and, more importantly, real. The law serves to protect the rights of not only criminals and drug pushers, but also the innocent. Allowing the police to operate above the law sabotages this protection and leaves everyone vulnerable. When police officers and people in power are allowed to act as the judge, the jury, and the executioner, injustices and abuses happen. These injustices and abuses are already happening as shown by the countless innocent lives that the police have already taken. The police can only become bolder and bolder in committing atrocities if they know that any abusive actions can be attributed to the war on drugs. If they can simply label their victims as drug addicts or “nanlaban,” then they are assured that they won’t be held accountable for their actions. In the case of Nuezca, he was fortunately caught on video as he committed his crimes. However, the relative calmness with which he shot the mother and son pair seems to hint that this was not the first time he had knowingly killed innocent lives. His not guilty plea also shows a lack of remorse and a belief that he will not be prosecuted for his actions.
The president has condemned the actions of Nuezca, but he and his allies have also claimed that the event was only an isolated incident. However, given the bloody history of violence and impunity that has been the trademark of this administration, this is obviously not the case. By insisting that the Tarlac incident is an isolated incident, the president distances himself from responsibility. Without acknowledgement that his actions are a huge factor in causing the Tarlac incident and without actions taken to eradicate impunity, the president’s condemnation is hollow.
A continued refusal, despite evidence, to recognize that police brutality is a common event rooted in the culture of violence and impunity that the current administration has encouraged is a choice to return to one’s blissfully ignorant dreams while many are stuck in a nightmare. A word of warning though: keeping our eyes closed does not keep us or our loved ones safe from the lethal claws of police violence. We might just find ourselves as the next Gregorios, the next victims of the persistent culture of violence and impunity. If we want to keep each other safe, we need to wake up and collectively push for change. Hopefully, no more bangs will be needed in order for this to happen. //by Justin Aaron Polendey
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