I am writing this because the killing of Kian delos Santos has hit close to my line of work.
I am an adviser this year and these are my adorable S4 students.
They are just 2 years younger than Kian and I think this picture was taken the same day that poor boy was shot as he was begging for his life.
Unbeknownst to us, as we were enjoying this groupie (we all had to wear flowery shirts that day), that one of their contemporaries will never be able to achieve his dreams.
If God wielded his magic wand and placed Kian here in this picture, he would not have died that day.
Unfortunately for Kian, his house did not have high walls to prevent the intrusion of policemen.
He did not live in a condo where intruding police would have to contend with the condo security and the condo association, before making any moves.
He did not live in a gated community where the neighborhood association would have demanded the proper papers before any arrests are made.
Kian did not have wealthy parents who can give him a relatively sheltered life, with a chauffeur on call, to whisk him to and from school.
If someone accused him of being a drug dealer, a drug runner, a drug user, or a drug whatever, he cannot use the line, "I will sue you for libel, see you in court!" to frighten his accusers.
And people who are born on the wrong side of the tracks, whether here or in America, usually gets the wrong side of the stick and God only knows if they ever will get justice for the wrong done to them.
I say, just spare the poor drug users. Send them to rehab or send the small fry pushers to jail.
Just concentrate on the bigger fish, the mayors, generals, the top brass, who allow this drug trade to flourish. I'm sure the public has no sympathy for scum like them.