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The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) gave a pastoral letter, lastFebruary 5, on rampant deaths and drug killings.
The CBCP gave a pastoral letter on rampant deaths and drug killings.
As a Christian community, we should follow moral values and root our ideas from the teachings of God and the Church. The letter expounded on the teachings. First, the life of every person coming from God is important and only he can take the life he gave. Second, everyone can change no matter how far they are. God forgives anyone no matter what they do. Third, destroying a person’s life is destroying another person’s. Drug abuse indicates that a person does not value their lives anymore and it endangers the lives of others too. Fourth, there should be a due process to show that a person is actually guilty of committing drug abuse.
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It is unjust for people to kill without enough evidence. Fifth, an action that harms another person seriously is a grave sin. As stated before, violence does not solve violence. Sixth, poverty is the root cause of crime and the drug problem. Everyone has reasons to commit these crimes and the poor have more reason, since they have fewer resources. The standards of society cause them to commit these crimes. The Last teaching says that not voicing out any opinions and having a stand is the same as being part of the bad doings.
The letter stated, “But the solution does not lie in the killing of suspected drug users and pushers. We are concerned not only for those who have been killed. The situation of the families of those killed is also cause for concern.” It’s as easy to say that violence does not solve any more violence; it would only cause more chaos. The letter also stated that, “An even greater cause of concern is the indifference of many to this kind of wrong.” Not feeling anything about these issues is said to be worse. The Filipino people should at least have an opinion concerning the topic.