By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Social Action Center (SAC) of the Diocese of Bacolod condemned the brutal crimes that happened in the city last week.

SAC head Fr. Chris Gonzales said they share the common belief that illegal drugs are destroying our society, but he questioned if the killings were really the way forward.

Gonzales said the Catholic Church does not believe that killing drug suspects is the solution, and they will always remain on how to transform and give hope to people.

“Ngaa ga-enter into drugs ang mga [tawo], it’s because they are losing hope. So ang ubra naton tani is how do we give hope,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales said bigger things would happen if everyone helped each other in addressing the root cause of illegal drugs.

“This is a societal problem, sugod kita siguro [on] how do we manage our households, ang aton pamilya, good education, amo ‘ni nga mga bagay,” he said.

“Kay kun pamatyon man lang naton, amo man gihapon, then the [illegal drugs] problem will never be solved,” he added.

Gonzales said the government, especially those assigned to keeping the peace, has a big problem to deal with, but the church will not put pressure on the authorities as everyone should be involved.

Last week, authorities recovered two severed human hands in a plastic container with sour beef stew or linâgâ in the city’s Barangay 2.

The container also came with a list of 22 individuals allegedly involved in illegal drug activities.

A few days later, a 22-year-old fish vendor was found dead, hogtied and riddled with gunshots all over his body in an empty lot in the city’s Barangay Mansilingan.

The victim was arrested in 2019 for a drug-related charge and was freed just six months ago./DGB, WDJ