When President Duterte assumed the presidency, he vowed he would end the drug problem within three to six months.
And then after realizing that the drug problem was deep-rooted and pervasive, he asked to be given another year to end it.
After another year and a half, he is again asking for another year to fulfill his duty.
I doubt another year could make a difference. Even if the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Philippine National Police killed the last drug pusher, the problem would never end so long as there is a demand for illegal drugs.
This is why I have been urging the government to fast-track the building of rehabilitation centers.
The very fact that foreign drug cartels know how corrupt our Customs bureau is, and how porous our borders are, tells us that the drug business is a thriving global industry.
The President must have realized that the drug issue is not only a peace-and-order problem. It’s both poverty and health. Illegal drugs are prevalent in poor communities, while the affluent use cocaine and party drugs.
What we need are community-based rehabilitation centers. Interaction with family is essential to rehabilitation.
All of these are why President Duterte is bound for disappointment even if he is given until 2022 to fight the drug menace.
Sure, other countries have drug problems. But they do not go around killing all the drug suspects they encounter.
Mr. President, here is a bit of unsolicited advice—build more community-based rehabilitation centers and go after drug financiers, distributors and protectors. This should be more than enough to keep the PDEA busy.
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These facts are now clear with regard to the Sanofi Pasteur vaccine worth P3.5 billion that has put at risk the health of some 733,000 school children, adults and even members of the police force.
It was under President Benigno Aquino III when officials, specifically former Health Secretary Janette Garin, visited the main Sanofi Pasteur headquarters in France. They did it not once but twice—it shows they negotiated the purchase of the vaccine.
At that time, the Dengvaxia vaccine was still at the experimental stage and has not yet been cleared by the World Health Organization.
It was Budget and Management Secretary Florencio Abad who released the funds for the P3.5-billion purchase.
The vaccination program continued under Health Secretary Francisco Duque. He suspended it when Sanofi admitted Dengvaxia could post risks to people without a history of dengue.
Aquino and Garin should be made to explain to the combined Senate Blue Ribbon and Health committee why they did what they did.
What was in it for them? Frankly I don’t know how they can get out of this hole. They allowed Filipinos to be treated like rats!
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Ask Mindanaoans whether they would like martial law to continue. They will tell you they believe it should be extended. They feel safe with the presence of the police and military in their areas.
With martial law, the people of Mindanao have gone on with their lives and businesses. There have been no reports of abuses.
Just take a look at the lawmakers opposing the extension of martial law. They are not from Mindanao. They have no idea what the people want or need!
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I am surprised that no less than six associate justices of the Supreme Court are testifying against chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno before the House Committee on Justice.
My sources tell me that during en banc deliberations, these justices appear to dislike how Sereno is running the affairs of the court.
In my early years as a journalist, I covered the Supreme Court. But I have never seen justices helping Congress find probable cause against one of their own!
