Quote: (08-08-2016 02:49 PM)hydrogonian Wrote:
All joking aside, Durtete's methods seem to be nothing more than a quick fix for a lack of funding for police and the judicial system. Their sum effect probably reaps too much injustice when innocents are killed. Also, most of the drug related deaths likely aren't deserving of the death penalty.
The Philippines has very much been a basket case for at least 40 years now. The reason is political tribalism, endemic corruption, muslim separatism, and also the drug trade which exacerbates all this. There is a point when corruption is so embedded that the justice system does not really function anymore. You saw the same problems in Colombia which was on the brink of being a failed state before the U.S. and other neighboring countries had to finally step in.
Quote:Quote:
He's a populist in a nation with relatively small problems, though admittedly their crime is a small (more easily solved) problem with large statistics. Controlling crime within a homogeneous population is mostly an issue of population control/education/economic policies and funding.
Yes all these things and the lack thereof are definitely a problem. The Philippines is a collection of islands with their own powerful multi-generation ruling policial families which function as a nation. The central government is on the main island. This makes things extremely difficult to plan and implement because you can think of the Philippines as a loose alliance of fiefdoms.
There are certain areas which are beyond the control of the civilian and military authority of the central governments. The main problem is resources. How can the government police and institute law and order in areas where the militias there vastly outnumber (in local civilian terms) as well as outgun them? No to mention they are financed by the drug trade, local tribalism, along with piracy (not the online kind) as well as standard corruption.
People don't realize how bloody local Philippines' politics are. Assassinations are
very common in the provincial areas. The central government does try to push things in a more civil direction by putting in their people but they often get hamstrung by local power plays or outright killed.
Quote:Quote:
Strong men such as him are likely more appropriately utilized in cold war situations between populations that simple policy and funding solutions are unlikely to mitigate, or in cases where cartels have gotten too large and powerful.
The Philippines is very much at war. This is not hyperbole. They have been at war for a long time now and have ongoing operations with the U.S. military under operation: Enduring freedom.
The breakaway islamic separatist regions of the Philippines are everything I said above and worse. They are just as bad as ISIS and are globally connected too. They kidnap, torture, behead, and do all the standard insurgent things. The local population are either sympathetic or outright cowed because they know the central authority has no sway there.
There was a recent incident where an entire company plus of combined commandos, regular infantry, and cavalry support were surrounded by militants in a setup ambush and 18+ killed and many more wounded.
Abu Sayaff claims they killed a CIA officer in a related ambush too which the U.S. and the Philippines government denies. However, it's entirely believable that a U.S. paramilitary officer advisor was killed also.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/11/world/....html?_r=0
Some U.S. army special forces 1st group as well as CIA advisors are deployed in the Philippines. Not sure how extensive the personnel are stationed in the Philippines but i'm sure their influence and hands on activities are substantial.
The situation is very complex in the Philippines and goes beyond normal developing world drug problems.