On July 24, at 2:55 pm, the sounds of gunshots pierced through the campus of Ateneo de Manila University. A few minutes before the Ateneo Law School graduation ceremony, shooter Chao Tiao Yumol wreaked havoc on the campus by firing shots at former Lamitan, Basilan mayor Rose Furigay and her daughter Hannah, who was among those slated to graduate. Records reveal that Yumol had earlier accused Rose and her husband, Lamitan mayor Roderick Furigay, of using drugs, prompting him to shoot them—shedding light on the influence of the old administration.
Yumol is a 38-year-old doctor based in Lamitan City. He held grudges against the Furigay clan for closing his clinic that was reportedly operating without a permit in 2018. According to his personal Facebook account, Yumol supports bloggers like Maharlika, a known advocate of former President Rodrigo Duterte. In fact, thirty-eight percent of his posts showed his support for Duterte, with some content uploads defending the previous administration’s war on drugs, which aimed to create a drug-free community by use of force.
Duterte’s drug war had a seemingly decent ideology. However, its execution failed to fulfill its intended goal. As a matter of fact, multiple sources, including former vice president Leni Robredo, have explained that the drug war is futile because of the damages it caused to our country’s financial situation, the justice system, and the people’s lives.
To lessen the amount of drug-related cases, the previous administration sought to incarcerate drug lords, users, and manufacturers. It went as far as permitting the killing of suspected drug users, resulting in extrajudicial killings. However, the solution later proved ineffective, instead becoming an avenue of injustice and corruption. According to Human Rights Watch, 12,000 Filipinos have died from Duterte’s war on drugs, with at least 2,500 deaths allegedly resulting from the police’s abuse of their power.
The extrajudicial killings caused by the drug war have caused emotional and psychological distress for the loved ones who had to witness the deaths of those accused. It includes young children who experienced bullying in schools because of the speculations that drugs surround their families. It also caused families to grow poorer due to the loss of a breadwinner. A similar event happened in Mexico. Its administration could not control the public execution tactics used by drug cartels because of the country’s weak justice system.
After all, using drugs is a medical issue—a health disorder rooted in other problems such as addiction and poverty. Because of the stigma that criminalizes drug usage, eliminating those who engage in drugs might seem to be the best solution. However, it can cause more problems by scaring users into hiding – making it harder for police officers to find them. A better solution would be to create rehabilitation centers for addicted drug users. This way, they can be provided with compassion and security as they go through the recovery process. It will also show other Filipinos that using drugs is not a crime but a public health concern.
In a televised speech last 2016, the former president said, “Please feel free to call us, the police, or do it yourself if you have the gun — you have my support,” adding, “Shoot him, and I'll give you a medal." Many today continue to be influenced by this statement.
The whole situation between Yumol and the old administration is the reason why we should continue to share the drug war's effects on its victims. This issue should not be buried just because there is a new administration. Instead, we should hold our leaders accountable for their words and actions, lest others imitate what Yumol did to the Furigays.