War of words

Clearly, the biggest fish in the War on Drugs is our government. Yes, the bulk of the drug supply allegedly comes straight out of the Bureau of Customs (BOC). The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is also partly to blame. They lack efficiency in patrolling the seas (and on air) to detect illegal vessels coming from afar. The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has ignored myriads of undocumented aliens in this country. Many of them are in the business of smuggling and illegal trade. Local government units co-exist and have turned a blind eye to what they see and know.

Wasn’t it just a few weeks ago, when an investigation was conducted on the alleged involvement of the BOC in a shipment of shabu from China worth P6.4 billion (US$126 million)? How did such large shipment pass through customs’ so-called express “green” lane? It was reported that the company was not even registered in the record of importers with the BOC. Added to this is the fact that the trading company has done 13 importations, arriving one after another and with one supplier.

Why isn’t the Armed Forces of the Philippines particularly the Philippine Coast Guard (a unit of the Philippine Navy), the agency manning our seas not able to detect illegal vessels entering our shores? Are they really having difficulty or are they pretending not to notice these vessels? If they are able to efficiently perform their duty then, the problem of smuggling, drug trafficking, etc. would have already been a non-issue. Yes, we may have way too many islands, but this is not an excuse nor should it be a hindrance to protect the country. To date, there are clandestine unloading points (already identified), mostly smaller coastal areas, where drugs are brought down from foreign vessels. These containers are then transshipped inland. Now what about the barangay and the mayors of these coastal towns? Don’t tell me they don’t know what’s going on.

And what is the role of the Bureau of Immigration? The primary enforcement arm of the Department of Justice and the President of the Philippines in ensuring that all foreigners within its territorial jurisdiction comply with existing laws. It is mandated to assist local and international law enforcement agencies in securing the tranquility of the state against foreigners whose presence or stay may be deemed threats to national security, public safety, public morals and public health. Another function of the agency is to regulate the entry, stay and exit of these foreign nationals in the country. They apparently have a problem on enforcement. There seems to be way too many undocumented aliens in this country allegedly into illegal trading. Now, why are they allowing these people to slip through their fingers?

If only proper coordination among these three agencies can be enhanced in the pursuit of what is right and just, then the war on drugs would have ended very quickly.

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Every branch of government has been sick with cancer for the longest time. Remember it was our national hero, Jose Rizal who first wrote about the social cancer in his novel Noli Me Tangere as a sequel to El Filibusterismo – The Reign of Greed. This sickness has spread to the different strata of our country: from the public officials, the priests, the rich and the poor and now even the developing working class. It is in our veins, in our hearts and in our mind. And it is about time we fight it and change our crippling, crumbling and fragmented spirit.

Why do we continue to allow those in public office, who have fooled us and corrupted our country to lead us? Why do we allow those already incarcerated for a crime they have committed in the past, return to power? Why do we re-submit ourselves to those who have been scourged of their regimes? And now we succumb to those spoils of public office, in congress and in the senate as they question alleged criminals? Who are the “real” criminals anyway?

Now that the tables have turned, those once silenced are the ones questioning today. Sanamagan! Aren’t there other qualified Filipinos who can lead our country to a better tomorrow? Why allow these buffoons to question justice on our behalf when we very well know they too are corrupt?

Government has allowed us to get into a “laissez faire” – free enterprise in all sorts of ways operating on its own laws. In fact, every branch of government, every department, every agency set and reset their own rules and guidelines leading us to confusion when every new department/agency head is appointed. There is no sustainable future in this type of endeavor. And you wonder how Indonesia, Malaysia, now Vietnam and soon Cambodia and Myanmar have overtaken us? Susmariosep!

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We must stop pointing fingers at one another and get our act together. The TV and radio news, newspapers and social media have created war of words. This is “yellow journalism” at its worst and it’s not helping us any bit.

Yellow journalism stirs up our mood. It excites us and angers us. The danger is that it influences us enormously even when the facts and data are fabricated or even half presented. The news can be fake or leaning toward an angle that is very subjective and incoherent.

When our thought is excited, it doesn’t make us think reasonably. We have to learn to think without prejudice. We shouldn’t create fear for others. We need to be careful of our thought forms because our thought governs us.

We are like newspapers. We should contribute our news in a healthy way. Our own publication can create war or peace. We need to bring in peace in order to achieve harmony. We should turn the news that we spread into a force of good. This can only happen if we unite and work together, when we understand each other. Most important, when we purify our thoughts. By doing so, we create a better society.

We should learn to base our decisions and thoughts on real and factual data and evidence. We cannot afford to give in to a “he said, she said” kind of news. We must read, digest, analyze and use science, logic and common sense. We should also check our sources. Just believing without checking is dangerous.

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Now on the series of crimes happening around us, our agencies need to be more knowledgeable of their work. Proper investigation needs training and proper investigative procedures not to mention equipment. Continues research-based investigative procedures will produce successful investigations. Investigators can use different techniques to solve a crime – arson, murder or kidnapping. They must have the knowledge and application of the principles of evidence; be able to look for evidence and analyze them; identify the victims; and locate the suspects; and the principles of humanizing the law that comes with a strong commitment on social responsibility.

Our public investigative teams like the NBI, the CIDG and forensic scientists should be prepared and well-trained especially if the President is determined to continue the war on drugs and the fight against corruption.