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4 presidential aspirants propose changes to anti-drug campaign


Four presidential aspirants on Saturday discussed ways to improve the government's campaign against illegal drugs.

Senator Panfilo Lacson said the campaign should be holistic and comprehensive.

Lacson, a former Philippine National Police chief, said the Duterte administration is primarily concerned with law enforcement and not with prevention and rehabilitation.

“Dapat holistic tsaka comprehensive ang approach,” the senator said during the Jessica Soho Presidential Interviews.

(It should be a holistic and comprehensive approach.)

Citing the killing of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos as an example of a law enforcement-focused anti-drug campaign, Lacson said he won't allow police abuses under his administration.

“Hindi natin papayagan na ‘yung pulis e mag-abuso. Pagdating sa law enforcement kasi sila ‘yung first line of defense sa napakaraming lugar sa malalayong lugar, at kapag ang pulis ay hindi naging protector sa pagsisilbi nila, walang mangyayari sa ating fight against illegal drugs at tsaka sa criminality,” he said.

(We won’t allow police abuses. In terms of law enforcement, they are the first line of defense in many remote areas, and if the policemen fail to become protectors, nothing will happen in our fight against illegal drugs and criminality.)

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno emphasized the need to respect the human rights of drug suspects.

“In the future, may lumabag sa nakaraan papanagutin ko sa mata ng batas, walang abuso na magaganap ang gobyerno sa mga suspect o suspected o whoever they are, but war on drugs must continue. We must pursue that,” he added.

(In the future, I will hold those who violated the law accountable, and the government will not abuse suspects or anyone else, but the war on drugs must continue. We must pursue that.)

He also took pride in Manila's accomplishments in the drug war, saying the most wanted criminals were put in jail.

“Kung ano 'yong ginawa namin sa Maynila para labanan ang droga, naging matagumpay kami buhay ang mga suspect. Pati 'yong mga hardcore criminal, pati mga wanted, pinagkakakalawit namin, nakuha namin,” he said.

(We were successful in Manila in the fight against illegal drugs. We were successful in capturing the suspects alive. Even hardcore criminals, wanted ones, we caught them.)

Senator Manny Pacquiao said he would continue the war on drugs but in the "right way."

"Katulad po ng sinasabi natin ipagpatuloy po natin 'yong war on drugs in the right way. 'Yong mga lumabag sa batas, pulis ka man, simple citizen ka man ay kailangan maparusahan," Pacquiao said.

(As we said earlier, we will continue the war on drugs in the right way. Anyone who violates the law, whether you are a policeman or a simple citizen, must be punished.)

"Sundin ang batas palagi. Dahil pag hindi po tayo sumunod sa batas ay mavaviolate natin 'yong karapatan na pangtao," he added.

(We must always follow the law because if we don't, we will violate human rights.)

Vice President Leni Robredo looked back on her brief stint as co-chairperson of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) in 2019.

"Naniniwala ako na malaki ang problema natin sa drugs, pero there are better ways of doing it. Alam natin na hanggang ngayon problema pa rin natin 'yong droga, ang dami ng namatay pero hindi pa rin natin nareresolbahan," Robredo said.

(I believe that we have a huge drug problem, but there are better ways of doing it. We know that we have a lingering drug problem, a lot of people died, but we still failed to solve it.)

"Ipagpapatuloy ko, Jessica, with the same vigor, pero ibang paraan. Napakahaba, no'ng ako ay nag co-chair ng ICAD, I was there for 18 days pagkatapos ng aking termino no'ng ako ay tinanggal na, naghain ako ng isang mahabang paper na nando'n nakasuggest 'yong lahat na dapat sanang gawin para maayos 'yong laban kontra sa droga," she added.

(I will continue the war on drugs with the same vigor but using a different approach. I listed them after my 18-day stint as ICAD co-chair. I gave my suggestions on how we can improve the war on drugs.)

Among the recommendations of Robredo is transferring the chairmanship of the ICAD from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to the Dangerous Drugs Board, which is a policy-making body.

This set-up, Robredo said, will allow PDEA to focus on the seizure of illegal drugs.

She also asked that the Anti-Money Laundering Council be amended to allow money laundering criminal charges to be filed on drug-related transactions, as well as increased funding for community-based drug rehabilitation programs.

President Rodrigo Duterte removed Robredo from the ICAD in late November 2019 over supposed missteps she took, including talking to foreign entities who were supposedly out of touch with the realities of the local drug problem. — VBL, GMA News

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