Our future without the blind opposition

“Maraming salamat sa ating presidente kasi kung hindi siya nagdeklara ng laban sa droga o kung hindi siya naging presidente, hindi rin kami magkakalakas ng loob na labanan ito” (Thanks to our president, because if he did not declare a war on drugs, or if he didn’t become the president, we won’t have the courage to fight this [illegal drugs). – Barangay Chairman Victor Bernardo

Last Friday we paid a visit to the Salam Compound in Barangay Culiat, Quezon City. Once notorious for crime and drugs, it now beams with pride for being a peaceful and drug-free community. Its residents fought, not with the police nor with the government, but with the real enemy that’s long plagued their area: illegal drugs. They fought as a community and together with the government authorities, they succeeded. I have personally seen their accomplishment, I have listened to the stories of the residents of what it was like in their barangay before, and I thought to myself if only everyone will take a step back and realize that is what we have to do – to fight the drug problem together – then we will surely have more peaceful and drug-free barangays.

I am not naïve on the fact that there will always be disagreements and personal ambitions in politics. But instead of prioritizing individual political aspirations, shouldn’t we take care of the people’s needs first? One can always express his or her doubts on the government’s campaign against illegal drugs, but we must not simply criticize out of whim, especially those who were duly elected by the people to serve our country. Rather than simply refusing to take part in the government’s war on drugs, they may want to provide alternative solutions – solutions they believe to be more effective, efficient and just.

This is because the drug problem in our country is real. It’s happening right before our very eyes. It is not like their claims of “EJKs” and the numbers they used. These yellow politicians always claim to fight for human rights, as if no human rights were violated during their reign. They continue to question the actions of the police and cast doubts on whether those who were killed by the police fought back as they claim. Truth be told, I pity our police force because even while the existence of rogue cops is evident, that does not mean that they all are. I believe it is unfair to generalize the whole police force as mere “killers” just because of the few who are found rotten. Is this the goal of the blind opposition? To further their political ambitions by destroying the president’s image by attacking his war on drugs?

I understand that they want to be consistent with their “fight for human rights” image, the very image that they want us all to believe. But have we heard any of them send a message to the criminals to stop fighting back and just surrender? It seems to me that they are making it look like all those who were killed by police, including those who have become casualties during police operations, are nothing more than collateral damage – nothing more but a part of a bloody drug war of the president which they want to stop for “human rights” purposes. The part where the criminals fought back with the authorities is disregarded, de-emphasized, and even written off in their alternative truth, perhaps to stick with this image of the administration that they want to paint.

If the true goal of the blind opposition is to protect human rights or protect the people, then shouldn’t that include the victims of illegal drugs? Will their strategies to get back into power trample the need of Filipinos to be safe from illegal drugs and drug addicts who lose their minds? We see and hear you question the police for the casualties in their operations, but what about the thousands of deaths caused by illegal drugs? When will you ever listen to their cries?

Based on the stories we learned in Salam Compound, I came to realize that the drug problem in our country is not a myth. Those lives and families ruined by illegal drugs and those who were killed and/or raped by drug addicts are real people - and they have rights that need to be fought for. The big question is, when will the blind opposition fight for them? Will they ever fight for them? Or will their political agenda come first before the need of Filipinos to have a better and safer future?

As I have said earlier, it would be better if we fight the drug problem together, just like they did in Salam Compound. But I also believe that the blind opposition is way too blinded by their greed to fight for other people than themselves.

Imagine our country without the blind opposition getting in the way of the drug war through their selective justice. Only then will we have a fighting chance to have more communities like Salam Compound in Barangay Culiat. Only then will we have a shot at real change, and an opportunity to have a better and brighter tomorrow for us, Filipinos.

And this, is a future we must continue to fight for.