EDITORIAL - Father and son

The charge is for visiting a place raided by the police on suspicion of being a drug den – a violation of Section 7(b) of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

The raiders from the Philippine National Police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency were armed with a court warrant to search the home of Russel Lanuzo Bermundo, who is accused of operating a drug den. Of the four suspects apprehended in the raid last Friday on the house in Barangay Mabolo, Naga City, three tested positive for drug use. One, Nicanor Faeldon Jr., tested negative.

Faeldon, the 32-year-old son and namesake of Bureau of Corrections director Nicanor Faeldon, was reportedly visiting his girlfriend Sandra, a daughter of Bermundo. The raiding team reported finding seven sachets of shabu in the Bermundo home. Did Faeldon Jr. know that his girlfriend lives in a suspected drug den operated allegedly by her father, and knowingly visited the place? The answer to this will determine if Faeldon Jr. will spend from 12 to 20 years in prison for violating RA 9165.

Faeldon Sr., who left his post as Customs commissioner amid a drug smuggling scandal, has offered to go on leave from the BuCor. Malacañang has vowed no whitewash of the case. Faeldon Jr. is expected to post bail today; his girlfriend was not arrested. He is guaranteed to have his day in court.

Many other drug suspects did not get that guarantee. Several drug personalities in fact ended up dead in police raids on suspected drug dens. The anguish that Faeldon Sr. must now be going through over his son is multiplied many times over for those whose children were shot dead on suspicion of breaking drug laws.

The raid in Naga should be remembered for the restraint shown by the raiding team in pulling the trigger. People are innocent until proven guilty. Faeldon the father said he would resign and “kill that idiot” of a son if the drug charges prove to be true. For many other drug suspects, there has been no “if.”