Pubdate: Fri, 08 Jul 2016
Source: Cebu Daily News  (Philippines)
Copyright: 2016sCebu Daily News
Contact:  http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1723

NO APOLOGIES FOR WAR AGAINST ILLEGAL DRUGS

When President Rodrigo Duterte announced during a thanksgiving 
concert held in Davao City that he was naming top PNP officials who 
were protectors of the illegal drug trade in the country, he also 
called on them to resign or else they would face consequences.

He didn't mention when he would do so, but in last Tuesday's 
gathering during the 69th anniversary of the Philippine Air Force, 
President Duterte named former deputy general Manuel Garbo of the 
Philippine National Police; retired former Cebu provincial police 
chief Vicente Loot; Chief Supt. Bernardo Diaz of the PNP in Western 
Visayas (Region 6); former National Capital Region Police Office 
(NCRPO) chief Joel Pagdilao; and former Quezon City Police District 
(QCPD) chief Edgardo Tinio as drug protectors.

The disclosure came days after Chief Supt. Patrocinio Comendador Jr., 
former Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) chief, 
called on the public to be vigilant and help the police conduct 
lifestyle checks on their personnel and officials.

Loot, who received P5 million worth of retirement benefits from the 
police, also had more than P100 million in his accounts, but he 
reiterated that it is shared wealth with his wife, former 
Daanbantayan mayor Ma. Luisa "Malou" Loot.

While Garbo and the others on this list were expected to issue their 
denials and schedule their meetings with President Duterte, last 
Tuesday's message was clear: the war on drugs is escalating.

With the President mincing no words in saying that the fight "will be 
dirty" and he won't apologize for it, public approval ratings will 
certainly be high in the next few days as Filipinos see that 
something concrete is being done to combat the drug menace.

Not a few Duterte supporters were gloating that things would have 
been different if any of Duterte's rivals in the presidential race, 
specifically Liberal Party bet Mar Roxas, won the presidency.

But now's not the time for vindictiveness, especially when the 
Duterte administration's self-imposed three to six-month target to 
reduce criminality and the drug menace is on the line.

Rights advocates and the public will certainly have issues with the 
killings of drug suspects, but Mr. Duterte's announcement of drug 
protectors in the police, the military and local governments will 
serve notice to them that their days of wealth and power are numbered.

And the public can help realize that goal to eliminate the drug 
menace by not only avoiding drug dealers but helping identify them to 
the police and the local officials committed to eradicating those who 
continue to indulge in the drug trade.

A mansion, a few cars and some unexplained source of wealth can be 
grounds for ordinary citizens to report these to the Ombudsman who 
can coordinate with police to verify if those local and police 
officials are benefiting from protection money given by drug 
syndicates. Vigilance will be key in the war against illegal drugs.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom