EDITORIAL: Restoring Faith

THE recent statements by Rep. Dan Fernandez, co-chair of the House quad committee investigating the bloody war on illegal drugs, mark a critical moment for our nation.

As the country mourned departed loved ones on All Souls’ Day, Fernandez’s words reverberated as a promise for justice and accountability—not just to the families directly impacted by the violence of past years, but to every Filipino who relies on government institutions for protection and fair treatment.

The House investigation has revealed a harrowing reality: cash rewards for killings of suspected drug offenders, the involvement of police in extrajudicial operations, and a culture of incentivized violence that ignored due process.

These findings underscore what many have long felt—that the war on drugs, while intended to protect society, often endangered its own people and corroded public trust in law enforcement.

When law enforcers, sworn to uphold the law, are implicated in abuses that violate the very spirit of justice, it sends a chilling message about the state of accountability in our institutions.

Fernandez’s statement was clear: this is about more than punishment for past wrongs. It is about restoring faith. It is about ensuring that every Filipino, regardless of their social or economic status, is assured of justice and treated with dignity under the law.

The next steps are critical. The House quad committee’s continued commitment to bringing out the truth and holding those responsible accountable must be unwavering. Public transparency, honest admissions, and tangible changes are necessary to heal the wounds left by these abuses.

It is not enough to remember the losses; the Filipino people deserve reform in a system that should have protected them.

The findings presented in this investigation are not only testimonies of the past but warnings for the future. If we do not address the wrongs that have come to light, if we fail to ensure such actions will not be repeated, we risk perpetuating a cycle of violence, fear, and impunity.

The task now before Congress is monumental but indispensable: to rebuild, through accountability and reform, a government that values every Filipino life.

As we look to the Nov. 7 hearing and beyond, we are reminded that this legislative undertaking is about safeguarding the integrity of our democracy. It is about ensuring that government institutions act with compassion, humanity, and justice.

Only by confronting these uncomfortable truths can we truly honor those we have lost and secure a future that upholds the dignity of every Filipino.