Priest launches campaign to rehabilitate drug users in the Philippines
Fr. Luciano Feloni, a priest from Argentina, has started a program called "Healing, not killing" to rehabilitate drug users and prevent unnecessary deaths resulting from the Philippine government's war against drugs.
Feloni, the pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Caloocan City, has organized a mass surrender of drug users to the police. There were 20 people who have already surrendered to the police on Sept. 1 under the priest's watch, Catholic News Service (CNS) reported.
More than 2,000 people have been killed since Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte took office and began his war on illegal drugs last July. Feloni revealed that about three to five members of his parish are killed every week since the crackdown started. One victim was gunned down in front of his parish after a mass.
"I know the numbers because we said the funeral mass for them. Almost all were killed in the same way: A motorcycle would come up with two people, and one would get off and pull a gun and kill the person, then they would ride away. No one ever gets caught or convicted," Feloni told CNS.
Feloni and the local government are overseeing the rehabilitation and detoxification of the people who have surrendered. Food is also provided for those who choose to work in the community.
Feloni maintained that he supports the campaign against drugs but reiterated that he is against the killings.
"I come from Latin America and I know how it looks when drugs destroy a place," he said.
About 1,400 drug-related killings have been reported as "deaths under investigation." Many are believed to be the results of tensions within drug gangs. Senior Supt. Joel Napoleon Coronel of the Manila Police District told CNS that some members of the police force are also under investigation. Some rogue policemen are believed to be involved in the elimination of drug runners who once worked for them.
Feloni expressed his concern about the effects of the killings. "We are becoming a much more violent society. And that can easily spiral out of control. As the Church we have to do something," he said to CNS.
