Editorial
Who dares fight the drug lords?
IF we are to take presumptive presidential candidate Rody Duterte’s oft-repeated threats directed at drug lords, then Pangasinan can finally heave a sigh having found a candidate who’s not afraid to cross swords (and kill!) the evil drug lords who have caused and continue to break up many homes in the province.
We have not heard a word on how to deal with the worsening drug trade in the country from the other presidential wannabes: VP Jojo Binay, Senators Grace Poe and Miriam Santiago and former DILG Sec. Mar Roxas. Unfortunately for them, the preference for Mr. Duterte can be traced precisely for his uncompromising war against criminality, so any belated word on this issue from any of the four makes them look like “Johnny-come-lately’s” or worse, plain copycats!
Aspiring local politicos with known integrity should take the cue from Mr. Duterte.
Pledges of improved economy employing suggestive like “inclusive growth,” “Walang iwanan”” from any of the presidential candidates no longer get any traction among the electorate because they have already learned that such promises are nothing but plain campaign promises. In sharp contrast, Mr. Duterte even wants the death penalty restored for persons found guilty of the source of widespread illegal drug. Will the four dare?
A President Duterte may not be able to convince congress to restore the death penalty but the mere initiative gives the right political signal that criminals will finally realize that it’s no longer fun in the Philippines.
To our mind, our dedicated law enforcers shall have found the best ally they can find in their war vs. illegal drugs should Mr. Duterte become Mr. President.
Crucial issue
THE 9-member Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) that decided the disqualification case against presidentiable Grace Poe included 6 senators and 3 Supreme Court justices. Five senators sided with Poe for a 5-4 Poe victory. After this, President Aquino, during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, when asked about the Poe case, replied: “…sovereignty resides in the people. Let the people decide.” If we heed Mr. Aquino’s advice, what happens to the Constitution, which says only a natural-born Filipino is eligible to run for President? Poe, a foundling, has yet to find her biological parents. It is the citizenship of Poe’s parents that will determine whether Poe is a natural-born Filipino or not. Can that crucial issue be set aside because, as Mr. Aquino avers, of people power through a ballot bailout? Is the voice of the people really more powerful than the Constitution?
Not at all times.
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