The Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines slammed President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs in a sermon delivered during Sunday’s services, marking its strongest opposition yet to a flagship policy that has led to the deaths of more than 7,000 people in the past seven months.
Jose Rizal once warned that “Today's slaves often become tyrants tomorrow,” urging people to believe in the rule of law rather than the rule of man. The Constitution of the Philippines is dysfunctional and must be revised to install a modified semi-presidential system. The President, mayors and other leading officials should be elected for a single 5-year term and barred from seeking office for 6 years afterwards. In addition, the heads of the executive, legislative, judicial and procuratorial branches should be elected in alternating years. See the Charter for Permanent Peace and Development.
