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Ni Romeo Allan Butuyan II
SA panahon ng administrasyon ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr., bumaba sa 52% ang kabuuang bilang ng tinatawag na ‘anti-drug campaign related deaths’ o mga napatay bunsod ng inilargang operasyon laban sa ilegal na droga partikular ng Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
Ito ang nabatid kay House Committee on Dangerous Drugs Chairman at Surigao del Norte 2nd Dist. Rep. Robert “Ace” Barbers kasunod ng isinagawang pagdinig hinggil sa estado ng kampanya ng pamahalaan kontra drug trafficking.
“The House leadership under Speaker Martin Romualdez commends PDEA for a job well done in the successful bloodless anti-illegal drug campaign. Your exceptional performance, outstanding efforts, and unwavering dedication to excellence have not gone unnoticed. We are looking forward to witnessing law enforcement agencies led by PDEA achieve even greater milestones in the fight against illegal drugs,” pahayag pa ni Barbers hinggil sa magandang accomplishment ng nasabing anti-drug agency.
“We have to continue strategies in the war on drugs that are just, humane, and without too much harm. Let us avoid unnecessary loss of life and suffering because of violence,” dagdag ni Barbers.
Ayon sa Surigao del Norte lawmaker, sa pagitan ng taong 2020 hanggang 2021, ang PDEA ay may naiulat na 40 indibidwal na nasawi kaugnay sa magkakahiwalay na operasyon laban sa ipinagbabawal na gamot.
Mula naman ng Hulyo 2022 hanggang Setyembre ng kasalukuyan taon o sa ilalim ng Marcos government, sinabi ng PDEA na mayroon lamang silang 19 anti-drug operations related deaths.
Ani Barbers, ang mas nakamamangha sa ‘bloodless campaign’ na ito, sa loob ng 16 na buwang panunungkulan ni Marcos ay umaabot sa 4.4 tonelada ng hinihinalang shabu at tinatayang nagkakahalaga ng P30 billion ang nasabat ng iba’t-ibang law enforcement agencies.
Kaya naman, tiniyak ng House panel head na magsasagawa ang kanyang komite ng mga pagdinig bilang suporta sa anti-drug war ng kasalukuyang administrasyon.
“Like food inflation and the other important concerns, we are trying to address, the drug menace is a big problem. It destroys users, their families, and society. Drug lords, peddlers, their protectors, and corrupt law enforcers and politicians are the only ones benefiting from it,” sabi pa ni Barbers.
“Let us see how we can boost the anti-drug war without resorting to violence, without eliciting anger and resentment from our people, and without drawing global attention and condemnation,” pagtatapos ng kongresista.
