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BY JOHNNY NOVERA
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Tuesday, October 17, 2017
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BECAUSE of the steep drop in his satisfaction and trust ratings in the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey on his drug campaign, President Rodrigo R. Duterte has suddenly suspended his war on drugs as implemented by the police and caused many extrajudicial killings on our streets.
In a memorandum issued on Oct. 10, 2017, he has designated the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency or PDEA as the sole agency henceforth to conduct campaigns and operations against all those involved in illegal drugs, and no longer the police.
Some people are apprehensive on the capabilities of PDEA to do the job if it is true that it has only 1,038 agents as against the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) manpower of 175,000.
Maybe, the President’s latest move is to take out the wind from several protest cases that came up against the police method of combating drugs which has killed 3,800 suspected drug users or pushers for allegedly resisting arrest. Add to this the vigilante killings inflicted by characters riding in tandem on motorcycles which the police has never arrested or identified up to this day.
It appears that the new strategy of government is to take out the wind out of several “stop-the-killing” initiatives that came up recently like the petitions with the Supreme Court filed by some groups or other campaigns that might be undertaken by others.
For example, there will be a rally at EDSA on Nov. 5, 2017, a Sunday, led by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, inviting the general public to join, in connection with the Catholic Church’s “Stop the Killings” campaign.
The question asked is, will the drug killings now stop due to the cancellation of the “Oplans” and taking out of the PNP from the campaign?
For the police, now it is time for them to undertake programs that will restore their image as protector of our citizens in contrast to the fear that the common people experienced during their drug campaign the moment they are seen in the neighborhood.
Now is also the time to increase police visibility in public places in our cities and towns, not only to keep peace and order but to extend a helping hand to people when in need as a way of restoring sooner our confidence in the police. They should work for their organization to be revered as before rather than be feared.
What about PDEA’s present campaign against illegal drugs? Since they do not have enough personnel, we wish they will conduct their drug campaign in cooperation with established groups, say, through the public and private school systems, and the student and teachers organizations in colleges and universities.
Then we have the professional and civic groups throughout the country, and what PDEA will do is also get their cooperation and give them a format of the kind of programs that they will adopt to help or cooperate in the campaign against drugs in their respective communities or area of influence.
Last but not least, government must be serious and firm in stopping the entry and supply of drugs from outside the country, otherwise PDEA, the police or any other entity being harnessed to fight the drug menace will fail.
For example, there was that importation of 605 kgs. of drug stuff worth P6.4 billion on May 24, 2017, that reportedly breezed through the Bureau of Customs’ “green lane” but later caught at the warehouse of one Richard Chen, a Chinese businessman in Valenzuela City.
Happenings like this can discourage PDEA or any entity in the drug campaign because up to now, after investigation, it appears that a case has yet to be filed against the importer. On the other hand, a sachet of shabu found in the pocket or possession of an alleged drug user can cause him before to be arrested or shot by the police alleging “nanlaban eh!”
Now, we think the President confirms his seriousness in fighting the drug menace. The ideas we have brought up here might work by asking various sectors of the community to help the fight against drugs.
We ask again, will PDEA be equal to the challenge? (For comments or re-actions, please e-mail to jnoveracompany@yahoo.com) /PN
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