THE all-out war against illegal drugs has gained headway with the public disclosure of President Rodrigo Duterte of five – active and retired – police generals. This sets the tone for being hopeful, the next batch of presidential exposes be high profile public officials. Whether users, protectors, or drug investors? Do we expect mayors?
Governors? Former Cabinet members? They have to be called out. For example, in my TV interview with former PDEA head General Dionisio Santiago (Republika Tuesdays, 8 p.m. Channel 8 Destiny Cable, Channel 213 Sky etc.), behind the camera he mentioned a Cavite city executive from a prominent clan; in Central Visayas two City mayors involved in drugs with one of them covering his tracks via a stern anti-drug campaign.
In the recently concluded campaign, then Mayor Rodrigo Duterte was in Region 7, and introduced to a Provincial Board Member. In Cebuano the former commented, “I know you”, as a way to warn the latter, a known numbers and drugs king. Subtly slipping the notice of the drug campaign, albeit the National Penitentiary has been highlighted as the kitchen for shabu, is the partner agency of the PNP, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
The list of officials and personnel who were remiss of their duties, in the payroll of drug lords or their underlings must be part of the public disclosures. They violated their oath of office plus enabled the drug trade to resurrect via maximum held prisoners turning jail wards into shabu laboratories. By turning a blind eye, and suspending regulations, drug lords maintained their syndicates and outside operations via cell phones, loosely guarded jail visitors who are actually drug middlemen, not to mention maintain a lifestyle disallowed a prisoner – spa, private pool, and bearing firearms.
These are the very drug lords, who by the fault of certain BJMP allowed the drug bosses profitable and uninterrupted shabu manufacture and distribution. Said BJMP personnel capacitated the drug lords, and hence are equally guilty, for the evil wealth openly declared as reward for the head of our president. Note, a detained drug lord with a gun is “open season”.
(Erik Espina)
