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Opinion

Who shall protect us from our protectors?

WHAT MATTERS MOST - Atty. Josephus B. Jimenez - The Freeman

When mayors, policemen, and judges are on drugs, who shall protect the people from their own protectors? An expert in anti-drug advocacy, advances the theory that the peddling of prohibited drugs in any city or municipality, like the proliferation of illegal gambling, cannot succeed, much less prosper, without the tacit approval of the mayor. If the drug trade in one locality is on-going unhampered, it stands to reason to draw the most logical conclusion: that local chief executive is either involved in the drug syndicate or is too dumb and too coward.

The police force is supposed to be manned by uniformed men and women who are sworn to protect the citizens from lawless citizens, like drug lords, drug pushers, peddlers, and couriers. But, if some policemen and policewomen are themselves involved as members of the syndicates, then who shall protect the citizens from their shenanigans.

If we report to the police station, how sure are we that the uniformed officers and men there are not part of the syndicates. Instead of looking at the policemen as protectors, the people are led to look at them with suspicion, with fear and even with anger and spite.

Judges and prosecutors are vital parts of the pillars of justice. The people look at the judges as paragons of probity, integrity, and propriety. But when some of the gentlemen and ladies in robes are reported and found as disguised components of the drug syndicates, then what would happen to the peoples' respect and faith in the capacity of government to dispense justice without fear or favor?

There are bad eggs in the judiciary. President Erap Estrada used to call them hoodlums in robes. President Duterte have named a few of them. More names are going to be exposed soon.

What then would happen to a country ruled by mayors and other local executives who are drug protectors? Who shall shield the citizens from their nefarious and highly destructive drug trade? To whom shall the town folks go to seek for assistance if the local executive belongs to the ranks of the peoples' enemies? 

If the police can no longer be trusted with the safety, security, and well-being of the people, to whom shall the people go to seek help? If the judges are tainted by connections with the drug trade, whom shall the people approach for a measure of justice?

The problem has reached an alarming gravity and proportion. Who is focusing to address this social malady? Only the president and the Police Chief are visibly and clearly putting their lives in the chopping block.

Some senators are posturing as human rights advocates. The Church is too concerned on human rights of the offenders, with not even faintest voice to stand up for the victims.

The leftists and the rightists merely look at this issue nonchalantly.

In our part, we should stand in solidarity with the president. For evil triumphs when good men do nothing.

What matters most is that the president is doing something very vital.

[email protected].

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