26 Sep UA Joins Reflection Session on EJKs and War on Drugs with Bishop David

Students of the University of the Assumption participated in a reflection session on the issue of extra-judicial Killings and the government’s war on drugs on September 20 at the Ephatha Development Center, San Fernando Pampanga.

The gathering tagged as “Am I my brother’s keeper?” was facilitated by Most Rev. Pablo Virgilio David, bishop of the Diocese of Caloocan and former Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of San Fernando. In his talk, Bishop David expressed his conviction against extrajudicial killings especially of the young victims involved. He also stood firm with his denouncement against the injustices in the country and the campaign of the present administration’s “war on drugs.” David supported his presentation with images of the victims of EJK especially in his diocese. He told the participants that speaking against killings is not politics but an act of faith.

Moreover, the Bishop explained the different programs that his diocese conducts to address the “drug war” emphasizing drug addiction as a health problem rather than crime.

According to John Carlo Villaluna, UA student, many relevant issues were discussed during the event. “It really struck me when Bishop David divulged topics that are beyond what people see on television, if we think that the situation is bad based on what we see and hear on news, it is actually worse in reality,” Villaluna explained.

He also expressed his stand on EJKs and other sensitive issues involving the youth. “As a youth, it bothers me that a number of victims are so young and that some people choose this bloody war rather than rehabilitation to solve the drug problem,” he said.

Villaluna added that that the event was an eye-opener for everyone to know the realities and anomalies of the drug war.

The event was organized by the Archdiocesan Commission on Laity (ACL) of Pampanga. It ended with
the reading of the Pastoral Letter from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on the stand of the Church on war on drugs.