Richard Branson says Duterte’s war on drugs bound to fail, calls for end to killings

Billionaire philantrophist Richard Branson on Friday backed calls for an end to the killings of personalities linked to illegal drugs—a series of deaths which have been blamed on President Rodrigo Duterte's declaration of war against drug dealers.

In his personal blog titled “Duterte’s war on drugs is not the answer”, rights advocate Branson expressed doubt that the president could stop the drug trade in six months.

“All told, President Duterte’s campaign pledge to end crime within three to six months is bound to fail, especially when it comes to drugs. Illegal drugs are a renewable resource. The drug trade is a global trade controlled by criminal organisations who will always find a way to enter the market,” Branson said.

“Tough law enforcement and zero tolerance will do nothing to reduce supply or demand of illegal drugs in the grand scheme of things. It’s been a bitter lesson for dozens of countries, from the US to Latin America,” he added.

The English businessman said Duterte should realize that fighting fire with fire would not work.

“The Philippines must reverse course immediately and choose evidence-based policies that put people first, reduce harm and put an end to these atrocities,” Branson said.

As part of the Global Commission on Drug Policy, he is pushing for more humane and rational drug laws.

"I’ve for years argued that we should treat drug use as a health issue, not as a crime. While the vast majority of recreational drug users never experience any problems, people who struggle with drug addiction deserve access to treatment, not a prison cell," Branson said in a blog post in October 2015.

Branson also said that decriminilizing and regulating all drugs was the answer to the global narcotics problem.

"It’s high time we stop pretending we have any control over drugs. The only way to wrest back control is to end the drug war, take the markets back from criminal networks and put governments in charge, so that drug production, supply and use can be regulated via doctors, pharmacists and licensed retailers," he wrote in a blog post last March, at the height of the campaign period in the Philippines.

"The more dangerous a drug is, the more important that it is properly controlled by the government. Only then can there be a role for legitimate businesses, working as they do now within the legal medicine industry, following safe, accountable systems under the rule of law," he added. —Trisha Macas/NB, GMA News