Punchline

By March 11, 2020Opinion, Punchline

The protracted war on drugs

By Ermin Garcia Jr.

 

IF the government’s war on drugs appears to be protracted despite valiant efforts of operatives of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and local police, blame it on two statutes: the constitutional ban on death penalty and the plea bargain option offered by the Supreme Court to arrested drug suspects.

Without death penalty, the country is vulnerable to endless attempts of drug syndicates operating in foreign countries to penetrate and build on their own share from among our vulnerable families as targets.

As the only Asian country without death penalty, it is practically sending out an open invitation to drug syndicates to operate in the Philippines. Because of this, we’ve even become naïve to think and believe that it is the foreign governments that are sending their drug syndicates to our shores. In case, you haven’t noticed, Mexico, China, Nigeria, Brazil, etc. have their hands full dealing with their own domestic drug trade problems so the open invitation from Philippines is surely helping them deal with their situations knowing that a number of their notorious drug lords are already busier operating in the Philippines.

Consider even the situation inside the New Bilibid where convicted drug lords are resigned to serve life sentences. Without risk of being meted the death penalty for being recidivists, they have no fear of consequences for bribing and corrupting their jail guards (and their superiors) interminably and continue their drug trade, with a booster – official protection!

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PAGING IBP-PANGASINAN.  Then our PDEA and police operatives suddenly found themselves fighting an enemy with one hand tied behind their backs when the Supreme Court thought it would help decongest our jail facilities by offering arrested suspects the option to avail of plea bargaining.  Another wrong mistake.

 The plea bargaining offered by our courts has become a big joke for offering the best protection that drug syndicates could only dream of. Without shelling out a P100 bill to a judge or prosecutor, the drug lords’ wards are merely asked to report regularly to their barangay kapitan and commit to attend a community-based rehab program. Naturally, the arrested punks will agree to anything to stay out of jail, and still be able to continue to provide drugs to their string of victims. All they have to do is relocate to another barangay that knows nothing of their plea bargaining.

 Consequently, to the frustration of PDEA and PNP operatives, they find themselves running and planning against the same drug pushers that have already identified them and therefore, would have to find other operatives who can entrap the pushers who availed of the plea bargain.

 Take the case of the recent operations of PDEA. The arrested suspect was known to operate all over the province, his transactions amounting to millions. He was imprisoned for three years for illegal drugs and was released early last year through plea bargaining, and quickly “returned to his illegal activities with a broader scope” before he was rearrested.  

 In this regard, the Pangasinan chapter of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines can do our families in Pangasinan a big favor and protect them from the clutches of drug syndicates if it can petition the Supreme Court to withdraw the plea bargaining as an option for arrested drug pushers. If at all, plea bargaining should only be offered to drug users caught in drug operations, but not to pushers and drug den operators.

 Paging IBP –Pangasinan! HELP!

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EMBARRASSING COMPETENCY. If the supporters and admirers of Dagupan Mayor Brian Lim care to know his level of competency and efficiency in governance, here are a couple of things that the Commission on Audit has determined as of December 31, 2019:

  1. Sixteen programmed road elevation and drainage system projects with P51.7 million (for Brgys. Hererro-Perez, Pantal, Lucao, Calmay, Bonuan Boquig, II and III, IV, Mangin, Pogo Chico, Salisay, Tebeng, Tapuac, and Lasip Grande), were not implemented.
  2. Two programmed construction projects for health programs in Brgy Bacayao Sur with P11.2-million budget, not implemented.
  3. The programmed day care center in Brgy Caranglaan with P1.2 million budget, not implemented.
  4. The programmed library building for DCNHS with P20-million budget, not implemented.

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FAILED MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS.  And below were some embarrassing observations and comments of the auditors on very BASIC MANAGEMENT functions:

  1. To improve internal control system and to avoid EXCESSIVE REQUISITION… that would lead to incurring wastage of government funds.
  2. To continue to monitor the progress of construction projects… and to collect liquidated damages from contractor upon completion of project.
  3. To facilitate and process the titling of land to establish legal ownership and safeguard the city from third party claims.
  4. To strictly observe City Ordinance No. 1602-96 in implementing the scholarship program.
  5. To submit written authorization from DILG to liquidate expenses.
  6. For the mayor to implement priority programs as listed in City Development Plan.
  7. To implement the LDDRRM Plan and utilize its budget accordingly.
  8. To terminate the contract for the construction of tensile fabric roofing at the city hall amounting to P24.9 million and despite a negative slippage of 57.95% and for exceeding the target completion date.
  9. For the mayor to instruct the City Treasurer to intensify collection efforts from delinquent RPT taxpayers.
  10. To form a committee to conduct an information campaign regarding the importance of paying taxes promptly.
  11. To explain the lack of documentation to support liquidation of cash advance for the Dagupan City children’s Choir that competed in Bangkok, and to explain why the choir was not originally included as a participant.
  12. To require contractors to immediately rectify defects/deficiencies noted in approved program of work or forfeit the performance security. ETC…ETC.

 I’m beginning to wonder if the new city administration understood what it meant when it bannered that motherhood statement “shared responsibility.”  How can it be shared when it could not even perform its basic responsibilities?

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SHAMELESS NUJP. The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) is becoming more shameless and unprofessional each time it rallies its members to carry placards, light candles to demonstrate support for the granting of franchise of the ABS-CBN network, like mercenary lobbyists.

Worse, it invokes press freedom for their cause. No dignity. No integrity.  No self-respect, not even for their journalistic practice.

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