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Raffy Tulfo: Bloody drug war doesn’t make sense; next admin should put up rehab centers


For Senator-elect Raffy Tulfo, the next administration should end the “bloody drug war” as it doesn’t make sense, prodding them instead to establish a rehabilitation program for surrenderers.

“‘Wag na dapat maging bloody. For me, that doesn't make sense,” Tulfo said in an interview Monday when asked about the outgoing administration’s anti-drug campaign.

The incoming senator said he favors President Rodrigo Duterte’s “aggressive” approach on the drug problem in the country, adding that he is sure that the incoming administration of President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong Marcos” Jr. will adopt it.

However, he advised the Marcos administration to craft a rehabilitation program and put up more rehabilitation centers for surrenderers.

“Pero kung ako ay tatanungin, siguro dagdagan ‘yung [rehabilitation] centers, ire-rehab ‘yung mga adik kasi napansin ko nung mga first few stages ng anti-drug war ng presidente, maraming nag-surrender sila mismo ang nagpunta sa mga police stations... pero after that...pinakawalan din sinusulat ang pangalan... later on malalaman natin bulagta na,” Tulfo noted.

“So dapat ang susunod na process don… and the incoming administration, I will advise na kapag may mga sumurrender kapag may identified addicts, siguro I will ask permission ‘Willing ka ba magpa-rehab?’ ‘Yes, willing ako.’ Then in this case libreng rehabilitation center para magbago na ng tuluyan,” he added.

Pharmally probe

On the other hand, Tulfo said he backs the revival of the Senate investigation on the alleged questionable government transactions with the Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation but this should not be for “grandstanding.”

“Well, dapat talaga ipagpatuloy yan kasi a lot are still in the limbo right now ano ba talaga ang nangyari? Nasaan na ba ang imbestigasyon d’yan?” he said.

“We have to let the Filipino people know that we are investigating para sa kanila, of national concern. So ipagpatuloy ang imbestigasyon regardless kung yan ay sa Senado or sa Ombudsman pero this time sana it should be done not in aid of grandstanding but in aid of legislation talaga,” he added.

He also expressed intent to be a member of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee in the 19th Congress, citing his experience as a broadcaster in the past 20 years.

“I would like to be a member kung ako ay papayagan, why not? Mayroon naman akong kaunting alam sa pag-iimbestiga dahil sa programa ko... for 20 years nag-imbestiga ako ng katiwalaan especially if involved ang gobyerno. So meron akong kaunting idea at kaalaman sa pag-imbestiga,” he mentioned.

Further, Tulfo said he believes Marcos will allow an independent Senate, adding that the president-elect is not a type of leader who will dictate them.

“Siguro naman si President BBM, hindi siya yung tipong magdidikta sa amin. ‘Yung unang meeting namin noon kaming mga senador sa kanyang HQ, nakita ko naman ang kanyang pag-respeto sa mga senador bilang independent body. Hindi siya ‘yung nag-didikta at nagsasabi kung ano ang gagawin,” he said.

Although he was endorsed by the tandem of Marcos and Vice President-elect Sara Duterte, Tulfo said the proposals to make the Reserved Officers Training Corps (ROTC) should be studied further as it has advantages and disadvantages.

Last week,  Duterte said she is hoping that the mandatory ROTC  will be included in the next administration's priority legislative agenda.

Tulfo visited the Senate on Monday to attend a legislative process briefing with the Senate secretariat led by Deputy Secretary for Legislation Atty. Edwin Bellen.

He mentioned that returning Senator Loren Legarda had offered to mentor him in the 19th Congress. — RSJ, GMA News

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