Deretsahan

By May 5, 2015Archives, Opinion

Hope in our criminal justice system

BEBOT VILLAR

By Bebot Villar

 

MAJORITY of the Filipino people are now thankful for the temporary reprieve given to Mary Jane Veloso. Her issue is very timely in view of growing calls for the restoration of the death penalty in our country at least for convicted drug lords.

We understand the stand of the Office of the President why it is not in favor of the move to restore the death penalty even just for drug traffickers. We can’t fully blame the President since most of those caught in the web are those who have less in life. At the same time I have to agree with President Aquino that our criminal justice system is beset with many problems! Walang katapusan!

I am not a lawyer nor an expert on the criminal justice system but with unchecked rampant corruption and tales of “Justice for Sale, ang dami talagang problema and solutions are not easy to find. Imagine a convicted drug lord still able to destroy lives by continuing his drug trade from inside (and outside) his prison cell. Sobra!

But let us not lose hope. Let us remain positive in the thought that even without the death penalty, justice will prevail. Even with some “hoodlums in robe” holding court, we should believe that there are still many with “good conscience” among those upholding our criminal justice system, they keep our system working.

But it’s really high time we double our efforts, not only of the agencies involved, but of the local government units (LGUs). Our local government leaders are still in the best position to lead the campaign against illegal drugs, from the barangay level and up.

Aside from the awareness seminars that the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) conducts regularly, it’s the LGUs that can truly help.

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I am now on my sixth year as chairman of the DDB and as the agency head, I can assure you that we never stopped in our efforts to educate our people on the problems of illegal drugs.

Our efforts in Pangasinan alone are paying off. Many town mayors have began cooperating with the DDB and have began asking us to conduct more drug awareness activities in their communities. Nakikisama na rin. DDB’s mission is to engage the communities in the barangay level in the campaign against illegal drugs. The most recent seminars were held in Alaminos and Bayambang. When the LGU cooperates, we are assured of a successful awareness program.

In those seminars, I’ve always maintained that the most important link in the campaign is at the grass roots because that’s where illegal drug transactions begin. So, in brief, whether or not illegal drugs will take roots in a community, it’s the barangay kapitan that decides whether drugs will or will not be available in the barangays!

We all know nothing gets past barangay officials, walang duda yan!

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For the past years, we have been writing and reporting the involvement of politicians including barangay officials in the illegal drug trade in many parts of the country.

If only our local government officials would seriously help in the campaign against illegal drugs, I don’t think the illegal drug trade will thrive. Imagine what can happen if only one-half of barangay kapitans take a strong stand against illegal drugs, sigurado takbo ang mga drug lords.

We already have the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (BADACs) in place that can monitor and help stop the illegal drug activities in the barangay, help in the rehabilitation of drug dependents and serve as the link between the people and the local government in addressing drug abuse problems. Dedication and commitment to the cause are all they need to be effective and successful in collaborating with government agencies.

Our people are now more than vigilant. They now report crimes to the authorities and we have seen how effective they have been by just cooperating with our police.

This is the kind of response that our country needs para manalo tayo sa laban na ito. Hindi lang iilang buhay ang nasisira at nawawala because of drugs! We should always be alert to help our own families from illegal drugs.

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Soon, we will be hearing candidates for various posts in next year’s elections. Platforms will be explained and justified, I just hope that their platforms will be crystal clear for the people to understand, what their promised platform of government are in case they get elected. Tama na ang bolahan!

Like I said, our people today are more discerning, Iba na po ang mga tao ngayon. Hindi na nakukuha sa mga giveaways, freebies kung campaign period. They can already detect if a candidate is out to fool them! After all these years knowing how they have been taken for a ride by promising candidates, you can be sure natuto na sila kung paano bumasa ng kilos ng tao!

Here’s my unsolicited advice to the candidates: Magpaka-totoo kayo! Give our people real hopes for a better life. Ipakita hyo kung paano! And, you will be rewarded with a mandate that you deserve.

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