Pubdate: Wed, 19 Jan 2005
Source: Mindanao Times (Philippines)
Copyright: 2005 Mindanao Times.
Contact:  http://www.mindanaotimes.com.ph/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2980
Author: Danny C. Dayanghirang
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/Summary+Execution

DRUG WAR

SUMMARY execution in the city continues. It is alleged that such executions
are carried out by a group of vigilantes believed to put a stop to the drug
trade in the city.  The number of deaths is increasing each day and the
newspapers eagerly give Dabawenyos the information on the recent death
squad victim.

Meanwhile, majority of our people in the city is not quite affected by the
matter nor have they reacted strongly by condemning the killings. My gut
feeling is that people have taken this as a way of life in the city taking
into consideration that if you tinker into the matter, you might as well
endanger your own life.

Drug trade is indeed a very dangerous game.  Dangerous in the sense that
you are deliberately destroying the bright future of young people of which
their parents worked hard for.  The users are not the only victims in this
trade but also the parents whose time and money go into nothing because of
this stupid corrupt trading.

I came to know a farmer who tills his land from sunrise to sunset just to
send his daughter to a nursing school.   He and his wife were hoping that
someday their daughter would bring them a fruitful living. Their dreams
were shattered as their first year college daughter was introduced to drug
addiction by her boardmates.

I myself will never allow these heartless drug pushers to destroy the
future of my kids.   And if ever you do so, you have to pay for all the
destruction you brought.  I am very sure that my feeling is parallel to
that of parents who give all they can hoping for the bright future of their
children.

The shabu laboratory raid is a strong evidence that this group of people
have penetrated the city with their evil trade.  And now the war has
started among themselves as claimed by no less than the regional director
of the PNP.  This war will result to more loss of lives in the city.  And
for some of us, this is good for those evil traders so they will perish
from this beautiful earth.

During the first two weeks alone of this month, almost 20 people have been
killed.

This could have been triggered by the bungled deal between the drug dealers
and their customers, which ultimately ended with the summary
executions.  But as what I have said for those peace-loving Dabawenyos,
this does not play a very significant matter as this is treated simply as a
way of life... in the middle of a drug war. 
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