“It would do well for President Marcos Jr. to have a deeper study on the need for community-based drug rehabilitation centers, which would well be his legacy when his six-year term ends”
Finally, it is coming out how bloody and brutal was former President Duterte’s war on illegal drugs.
They may have been “drops in the bucket” as seen by families of the victims of extra-judicial killings during the six-year term of Duterte, but it simply goes to show how the culture of impunity was during Duterte’s war on illegal drugs.
Official police records revealed only 6,000 killings, but unofficial records by independent researchers account for over 8,000 killings when the Philippine National Police, then under Police Chief Rogelio “Bato” dela Rosa, now a senator, with the approval of Duterte, launched what was called “Operation Tokhang.”
This brutal police operation would just knock at the doors of suspected people involved in illegal drugs, and would simply take them away to be killed.
The police were seen planting evidence on them, claiming later on, Santa Banana, that the suspect “nanlaban” or resisted.
The first conviction was for the killing of Kian delos Santos, as many had seen over television, when three police officers dragged the teenager into a street corner and killed him, alleging that the suspect was involved in peddling shabu.
My gulay, that was a clear case of extra judicial killing. The three policemen were soon dismissed and meted out life imprisonment sentences.
The second conviction was in November 2022 by a Caloocan Regional Trial Court against two police officers sentenced to life imprisonment, but one of them died while on trial.
The court, with the testimonies of witnesses, testified that the police tortured and framed the victims by planting evidence. The victims, two minors, were soon found dead.
Santa Banana, these two convictions may have just been a “drop in the bucket,” but it should show to everybody to what extent Duterte’s mandate to police to “kill, kill, kill” all those who are involved in the illegal drug trade and to what extent extrajudicial killings went.
My gulay, Duterte’s war on illegal drugs was not only truly bloody and brutal, but developed a culture of impunity.
Santa Banana, the public may never know to what extent Duterte’s war on illegal drugs went, but these two convictions are clear examples on what extent extrajudicial killings had gone.
Torture and planting evidence are just one example what went on during Duterte’s war on illegal drugs.
But, it appears to me that there’s some kind of pattern in them.
It is for this reason why the ICC (International Criminal Court) wants to probe deeper into accusations that the Duterte administration violated human rights to the extent of committing a war against humanity.
But, since the Philippines is no longer a member of the Rome Statute that created the ICC, the latter can no longer exercise jurisdiction on the Philippines, Santa Banana. President Marcos Jr. had rejected the return of the country as a member of the ICC.
But, if there’s anything we can learn from just the two convictions of police officers in the war on illegal drugs, it’s that the two cases are a clear proof that Duterte’s war on illegal drugs needs looking into.
President Marcos Jr., fully aware to what extent Duterte’s war on illegal drugs went with extra-judicial killings, wants the police to concentrate on drug lords and big traders of illegal drugs.
The government’s new anti-drug campaign has even taken a step back under the Marcos administration which now focuses on demand reduction and drug user rehabilitation, instead of the killing of drug users.
This is what I have been saying all along in my previous columns.
The presence of drug users and drug addicts in the Philippines, which is still over 6 million, is a matter of supply and demand.
This is the reason why I believe that rehabilitation of drug users and drug addicts is imperative nationwide.
The illegal drugs trade worldwide is a multi-billion dollar industry that can only be reduced or minimized, since cartels and syndicates can always bribe corrupt public officials.
This accounts for the continuing entry of illegal drugs into the country through Customs because we all know how corrupt Customs is.
It would do well for President Marcos Jr. to have a deeper study on the need for community-based drug rehabilitation centers, which would well be his legacy when his six-year term ends.
Why community-based rehabilitation centers ? Because drug users and drug addicts need their families’ support .
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The country marked the 13th anniversary recently of the gruesome 2009 massacre of 58 people , 38 of them members of the media, by the Ampatuan family called the “Maguindanao Massacre.”
But, unfortunately, final justice has evaded the victims and their families.
Since the perpetrators of the gruesome massacre were already convicted by the lower courts, final justice for the victims of that unprecedented crime remains elusive.
The case was elevated to the Court of Appeals, and may even reach the Supreme Court.
Santa Banana, I saw photos of the families and friends of the victims visiting the gravesites at Barangay Salman, Ampatuan town of the now Maguindanao del Sur province – to remember and continue their quest for justice – and I can only commiserate with them!
Another problem with our justice system is that final justice often takes so long, while the lower courts may render justice, our justice system enables appeals that take so long to get finalized.
I admire that the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP) is pursuing the case, going to the extent of visiting the gravesite of the media worker victims, which have been covered by grass, but that’s all the NUJP can do.
Until final justice is rendered, we can only hope that it will be for the victims of the gruesome massacre.,
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At the end of November, which will be this week, President Marcos Jr. ‘s administration would be in office for five months, and, sad to say, people, including myself, are still wondering when all Cabinet positions will be occupied.
Yes, BBM is still secretary of agriculture, which is expected to end soon and the position will be occupied by a permanent secretary.
But, what about a press secretary after the first press secretary resigned?
By next month, BBM will be going to China and perhaps to the United States and Japan , where a Press Secretary is needed.
I know because in many instances when I accompanied past Presidents in their state visits, the presence of a press secretary was urgent.
Santa Banana, a permanent Department of Health secretary is imperative since the COVID-19 pandemic crisis is still with us.
BBM may have appointed a retired AFP chief as acting secretary of National Defense with the rank of senior DND undersecretary, but, my gulay, when will we have a National Defense secretary?
Mister President, the people are wondering why all these vacancies in the Cabinet?
It can’t be a dearth of qualified people because there are so many qualified.
So, what’s the problem?
As for the Department of Agriculture, resign now, and appoint one to take your place because there are so many challenges and myriad problems that you must attend to right away.
By the way, the appointment of Erwin Tulfo as Secretary of Social Welfare and Development is on the verge of getting nonconfirmation by the Legislative Commission on Appointment after Tulfo’s confirmation was deferred on two reasons.
First, his citizenship is under question for his being a member of the US military. When you become a member of the US military, if you are a Filipino, you renounce your Filipino citizenship..
And there was Tulfo’s conviction of libel which carries moral turpitude. And moral turpitude is an element to disqualify one in public office.
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OCTA, the research arm of the University of the Philippines, has noted an uptick in COVID-19 cases in the National Capital Region and, with the onset of the Christmas and New Year holiday season when people go partying and vacationing, the number of COVID-19 cases will surely surge, especially after the mandate on having to wear masks indoors and open spaces was lifted.
In fact, hospitals are already preparing for another COVID-19 surge.
While the uptick of COVID-19 cases is not yet cause for alarm, people should be cautioned against another surge of COVID-19.
We have seen the surges many times before, and we should not take this unseen enemy for granted.
As for me and my wife, both of us now in our 90s, we’d rather stay home.
And if we must go out, we wear our masks and avoid places where there are too many people.
We’d rather be cautious.
In fact, the only place outside home that my wife and I go to eat is the City Club at Alphaland, of which I am a member.
We avoid shopping malls and restaurants where there are no private rooms.
