Beyond the killings (2)

Together, let us review the present drug policy and campaign of the government for a better understanding of the drug problem and for a broader, more informed, more comprehensive, fair, and effective drug policy for this nation.

The present face of this administration’s campaign is Operation Tokhang. Supporters say that the addicts deserve to be killed, otherwise, they fear that in time, like the drug crimes shown and sensationalized by media, many more would be brutally killed, raped, and robbed by drug users. These supporters ask: If the 13,000 were not killed, how many more would have fallen as victims of these drug users or how many more families would have grieved for more victims of these drug users?

Certainly, drug addicts have to be apprehended and rendered appropriate penalty, punishment, or action to take them off drugs or to prevent them from doing heinous drug-related crimes. But should addicts be summarily killed before or even with any solid proof that they are addicts, that they committed heinous or other crimes, or that they fought back?

To be fair, how many of the estimated 13,000 killed were really proven to be drug addicts? How many of them really fought back as claimed by the police? The latest SWS survey shows that 54 percent of Filipinos do not believe the police version that the victims fought back.

Also, how many of the estimated four million drug users have committed heinous crimes? Does government have reliable data showing that the estimated 13,000 victims (killed in this government’s drug campaign) robbed, raped, or brutally murdered innocent victims? Otherwise, without reliable proof or data, the 13,000 or more victims of the present drug campaign were summarily and unjustly judged and executed, leaving their families grieving and crying out for justice, as in the case of 17-year-old Kian Loyd de los Santos.

A comprehensive, reliable, and effective drug policy is needed to address the issue involving addicts. The drug policy also needs to be fair. Most of the EJK victims come from the poor.

What is the drug policy of this administration about the wealthy drug players, manufacturers, suppliers, smugglers, and dealers?

The estimates for addicts run up to millions. What reliable data has this government shown about the richer, wealthier, big-time drug players, how many they are, who they are, where they are from, how they operate, and who their accomplices in government are, if any?

Drug smuggling and drug busts continue to be reported, however. Are these evidence and proof that this government is not as trigger-happy or not as committed to catching the bigger, wealthier drug players as killing the poorer drug addicts?

A solid and fair drug policy should exert as much or even more effort to stop the drug supply and wealthy/powerful big-time drug players, as without drug supply, wealthy and powerful suppliers/smugglers and dealers, there would be no addicts.

The P6.4-billion smuggled shabu should be thoroughly investigated. As part of his drug policy, Duterte should explain how and who allowed this huge illegal shipment from China (not Taiwan) to be released from the Bureau of Customs, and transported to two warehouses in Bulacan. (For those interested about this case, check out:

https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/178667-timeline-smuggled-shabu-china-customs.

More importantly, Duterte is duty-bound, soonest, to confirm and show honest and reliable proof and explain to all Filipinos, and especially to the grieving families of the 13,000 victims and the rest of the targeted four million addicts, that his son, Paolo, is not among those allegedly involved in the supply and smuggling of illegal drugs that end up with dealers and addicts.