The Language and Words Matter

In Patricia Evangelista's book, Some People Need Killing, she explores the power of language and how it shapes our perceptions and realities. Rodrigo Duterte's rhetoric surrounding the drug scourge in the Philippines influenced public opinion and justified extrajudicial killings. The normalization of phrases like 'salvage' to mean killing reflects the alarming shift in conscience and morality in the country. Evangelista's experiences as a journalist witnessing these events highlight the importance of language in understanding the gravity of the situation.