Life is sacred

ATTY. GLORIA ESTENZO RAMOS

For the past 2 weeks, the world’s attention was focused on the daring and courageous rescue of the 12 youngsters and their football coach stuck in a cave beneath a mountain in Thailand.

The country’s Navy Seal and divers from various countries pooled together their expertise and efforts to save them.

Knowing that danger lurked in every corner, and possibly lose their own lives, they were not deterred from proceeding with it.

One in fact died, Saman Kunan, a retired Thai Navy Seal, and he will forever be remembered for his heroism.

It was hailed as “remarkable story of friendship, human endurance – and the lengths some people will go to save someone else’s child.”

In stark contrast, on July 10, the day when the rescue operations ended, in Cebu City, the life of a 4 year-old boy, Bladen Skyler Abatayo, was snuffed out from a stray bullet that hit his chest during an alleged drug bust operation.

Skyler was said to be studying when it happened. How tragic and painful it is, especially for his parents, who thought that their home offered their child the sanctuary from any form of harm.

Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person, as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHC) and our very own Constitution so affirm and guarantee. It is the responsibility of government to ensure public safety. After all, its prime duty is “to serve and protect the people.” (Article II, section 4. 1987 Constitution) and this includes the protection from violence.

We agree with the most influential physicist of the 20th century, Albert Einstein, who was of the view that “Life is sacred, that is to say, it is the supreme value, to which all other values are subordinate.”

The recognition of the sanctity and dignity of life is the anchor from which universal covenants on human rights were framed and to which we are signatories to.

Peace is attainable, not using force and intimidation, but only through respect of human rights and the Rule of Law.

Government must comply with the mandates of prioritizing the inter-connected rights to life, health, livelihood and a healthful and balanced ecology and human rights.

This interlock is emphasized by the Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment, John H. Knox. He notes that “in many ways the environment can affect our enjoyment of human rights. So that it’s important to protect the environment to be able to safeguard other human rights.

Also, it’s important to honor human rights, respect human rights to be able to safeguard the environment.”

I can never forget the sad face of an indefatigable vanguard of our ocean, an artisanal fisherfolk, who said that allowing the banned commercial fishing back in Tañon Strait, one of the country’s largest marine protected areas which also harbors 14 species of whales and dolphins, is akin to killing them and their families.