Disappointing

By Bebot Villar

I WAS extremely disappointed nang marinig ko taped reaction ni Vice Gov. Ferdie Calimlim sa tanong ko sa column ko last week kung bakit mukhang walang anumang campaign against illegal drugs sa Pangasinan na ginagawa nya or by the provincial government for that matter.

Alam ko na during the incumbency nina ex- Vice Governors Gonz Duque at Oscar Lambino, active silang gumalaw for their advocacy contra illegal drugs.  Pero ngayon, mukhang wala.

Ok lang sana kung hindi pinepeste ang Pangasinan ng problem against drugs pero very alarming na ang proliferation ng illegal drugs across the province. I’m sure matakot kayo kapag makita nyo ang mga reports about drug-related crimes sa Pangasinan at kung gaano na ito kalala! Do we have to wait na araw-araw may pinapatay o pinagnanakawan, or may rape victim ang isang drug-crazed suspect sa Pangasinan before our officials act?

Nang malaman ko ang reaction ni Vice Gov. Ferdie sa concerns in a forum with local media, talagang nalungkot ako.

Verbatim, ito ang sinabi nya:

“Alam naman po natin na the issue on drugs, there’s a national campaign ongoing. There’s also a local campaign infused already sa policing functions at naging part po ito ever since na nag assume po ako ng position as vice governor yong nag ha handle ng mga drug issues prior to my assumption… kahit na noong time ni Vice Gov. Marlyn Primicias Agabas, ay na-turn over na ito lahat sa functions ng governor, yong sa anti drug campaign. At alam naman po natin na the governor being a policeman, being the uniformed man that he is, ito po ay in-integrate na nya sa instructions and lahat po ng mga campaigns ng ating Philippine National Police specifically our provincial police office.

Ang anti drugs campaign ay directly na po hina-handle ng PNP through the instruction of the governor and no longer ng office of the vice governor that was yong old set up po before.”

Follow up question ng media: “Nagkaroon ba ng maski isang meeting with the vice mayors on anti-drugs?”

Ito uli ang sagot ni VG Ferdie: “…the previous arrangement na nagha-handle directly ng anti illegal drug but  upon the assumption of Governor Espino, lahat po ng mga policing, law enforcement and peace and order function na-ibalik sa office of the governor and eventually re-integrated sa functions ng Philippine National Police. Of course meron tayong mga individual and maybe other matters concerning illegal drugs na hina-handle din in the form of legislation dito sa provincial board but yong actual executive function or yong anti drug drive yong dating set up ay again tinanggal na sa office of the vice governor, nasa office of the governor na po ngayon.”

Ito yong sinasabi natin na “KUNG GUSTO, MARAMING PARAAN. KUNG AYAW, MARAMING DAHILAN.”

* * * *

So, hayan, kapag malamya ang anti-illegal drugs campaign sa Pangasinan, gaya ng observation ko, si Gov pala ang dapat sisihin? According to him, the campaign vs. illegal drugs ay under him daw, di ba?

It looks like hindi niya binasa o nakalimutan na nya ang rationale ng Memorandum Circular No. 2012-94 issued on May 21, 2012 by then Secretary Jesse Robredo of the Department of Interior and Local Government. While it was addressed to all provincial governors, city and municipal mayors, punong barangays, DILG Regional Directors and Others concerned, dapat alam din nya ito.

Subject was: Strengthening the City, Municipal and Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils.

Basahin mo ito Vice Gov: “Reports of existence of several drug laboratories and the increasing use of illegal drugs have significantly contributed to the rise in criminality which necessitate a more aggressive and unified stance against illegal drugs to help ensure community peace and order.

This menace can be addressed efficiently if all efforts of concerned agencies are coordinated in all stages from the pre-operations, during and post-operations of the drive to eliminate if not totally eradicate the problem.”

In short, kung sama-sama, madaling sugpuin ang droga.  Hindi naman sinabing bawal ang mga vice governors o mga vice mayors na maki-alam. Dapat makipagtulungan, di ba?

We do not solve a big problem like drugs with a song, Ferdie. Agree or disagree?

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