With news programs always reporting about drug-related killings, the idea that you or a loved one might fall victim to such killings can make you paranoid, so Christian Jay Bautista wanted to be proactive about this.
Bautista told GMA News Online that he started using this proactive measure after he heard about a man who was mistaken for someone selling drugs in Gil Puyat, especially when his route to work passes by the same spot where the man was nabbed by the authorities.
“Yung route niya ay route ko almost everyday sa work kung saan siya nahuli. So naisip ko, ano kayang pwedeng gawin para hindi ko ako maghinalaan maski never pa ako nag drugs?” Bautista said.
According to the freelancer who worked in the advertising industry, he thought wearing his NBI clearance is more effective than wearing a cardboard.
He first posted this novel idea on his Facebook page on July 20. As of writing, his post has received more than 13,000 reactions and 700 shares.
However, Bautista did not actually wear his clearance in public, only making the post out as a joke.
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He explained that he made the post to show everyone how scared he is of the possibility of being identified as a drug peddler when he is just a normal civilian.
“Ang nasa isip ko kasi eh parang, ano pa bang gagawin ko pa para mapakita sa kanila na hindi lahat pusher, na normal na civilian lang ako na natatakot na sa nangyayari lalo na’t gabi na din ako nakakauwi galing trabaho,” Bautista said.
Someone who commented on Bautista’s post even suggested attaching a drug test result, which Bautista readily agreed to.
Bautista said that with the current environment all over Metro Manila, he feels paranoid, especially since he doesn’t know who to turn to.
As an alternative to wearing an NBI clearance, Bautista suggested to “always bring your IDS” and “stay calm.” He added that in the end, it is all up to us to know how to best handle ourselves if we find ourselves in the midst of being accused as a drug pusher or user.
Bautista may have a reason to worry. As of noon of July 21, the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s Kill List tallied 378 reported killings of suspected drug pushers/users since May 10 and 331 killings since June 30.
Even Vice President Leni Robredo has expressed her concern over these growing incidents of extrajudicial killings, calling for a ‘serious investigation’ into these killings. The Senate and Congress are also urged to conduct an inquiry into these incidents.
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