We knew President Rodrigo Duterte’s promise to eradicate the drug menace in three to six months was fantastic to begin with. Still, because this man of drastic action said so, we took his self-imposed deadline at face value.
Even before he assumed office, Duterte showed us how resolute he intended to be in his war against illegal drugs. Even the drug users and pushers themselves seemed to know he meant business, because they started surrendering in droves, for fear of their lives.
The unrelenting pursuit of those involved in the drug trade—and the extreme means by which they were eliminated—has called the attention of human rights groups and the international community.
The general response of Mr. Duterte to these critics is something better captured in colorful language.
And now the President says he needs more time to get the job done.
“I did not realize how severe and how serious the drug menace was in this republic until I became president,” Duterte said, adding that the trade of illegal drugs is largely being operated by people in government.
A Palace spokesman exhorted the people to give the President a chance because he was providing a comprehensive solution to the problem.
It is not as if the public were crying out for more bodies. To date, more than 3,000 have been killed either by the police or by vigilantes and the Duterte administration has not reached the three-month mark yet. By all means, Mr. President, take all the time you need. But do it well and do it the right way.
We are aware, as well, that the menace of illegal drugs is not the only ill that must be combatted by the Duterte administration. We understand that the time and attention of the President is finite.
We would rather measure success in terms of things accomplished: crimes reduced, cases filed and resolved in court, travel time saved, and families fished out of poverty—rather than in mere number of days and months.