Deretsahan

By October 18, 2015Archives, Opinion

Drug money in politics

BEBOT-VILLAR

By Bebot Villar

 

ELECTION season has officially begun!

Politicos of all colors and non-politicians filed their certificates of candidacies (COCs) last week vying for more than 18,000 electoral posts in the country. As of this writing, marami na po ang tatakbo sa pagka-Presidente ng Pilipinas!

I only regret that together with the usual hoopla promoting a candidate, it’s also the season for black propaganda and character assassination among candidates, even among friends.

Normal lang kasi sa mga Pinoy ang mga strategies tulad ng mapanirang-kwento against their opponents during the campaign period. Parang walang kulay ang kampanya kung walang paninirang-puri! Hindi naman siguro masama kung maghinay-hinay at mag-focus na lang sa kanya-kanyang plataporma de gobyerno instead humanap ng kaaway!

Interestingly, and buti na lang, after the election everything goes back to normal. ‘Yun mga nag-aaway-away at nagsisiraan at halos magpatayan during the campaign ay muling magbabalik-loob sa isa’t-isa na parang walang nangyari!

Ganyan po ang ating tradition every election period!

*          *          *          *

If our candidates are dead serious to win their constituents’ trust and support, they must pledge to prioritize the elimination of the drug problem in their respective communities. The problem has become so serious that our province has become critically drug-infected and we all need help.

We always look up to our law enforcers to support the campaign but we seem to forget that it is our elected leaders that can make the difference. And unfortunately, the number of corrupt public officials are increasing because we do not make them account for their negligence and corrupt practices.

Tulad ng iba sa ating mga notorious barangay captains. Kapitan nga, pusher naman! They have been lording it over, bribing law enforcers and other barangay officials using drug money.

But their time is coming soon! After the May 2016 elections, sa October naman ang panahon ang hinihintay natin para sila ay husgahan! Nasa ating mga kamay na po ang kanilang magiging kapalaran sa politika. Hwag tayong magpa-bulag sa drug money na ipagmu-mudmod nila.

I am sure each barangay resident in the province knows if his or her barangay captain is into illegal drugs! Everyone knows who are the barangay officials protecting the drug pushers kung hindi man sila mismo, na sumisira ng buhay ng ating mga kabataan! Nangyayari na po at patuloy pang nangyayari kung kaya tumataas ang bilang ng users sa ating mga barangay!

It’s time to seriously think about reaI changes sa mga barangay natin. Let’s begin to look for other potential candidates who will lead the fight against illegal drugs and suportahan natin! Ang nangyayari kasi, pag traditional politician ang ating mga mayor, vice, mayor at councilors, mina-mane na lang nila ang pagpapatakbo ng barangay kaya lumalalala ang illegal drug problem sa barangay.

It’s time to act decisively. Iwan na po natin ang takot, pakikisama at utang na loob kung mayroon man lalo na kung nakasalalay ang kinabukasan ng ating mga mahal sa buhay. Illegal drugs and trafficking are already world problems! ‘Wag po natin hayaan na kainin tayo ng problemang ito at dumating ang panahon na mukhang zombie na lang ang nakikita natin dahil ang lahat ng tao ay nagdro-droga na!

Bigyan natin ng pagkakataon ang katahimikan sa ating barangay. Maigsi lang po ang buhay natin at hindi dapat sayangin. This coming elections, may magagawa po tayo. Use our right to vote wisely. Use our heart and conscience to choose our next leaders.

*          *          *          *

Tomorrow is the start of our 2-week live-in program “Drug Abuse Resistance Education“ in Lingayen. Beneficiaries of this program are around 50 police officers from the different police stations in the whole province of Pangasinan.

After the seminar, our police officers will be officially part of the pool of mentors who will re-echo the program in our public elementary schools. Makakatulong na ang ating kapulisan sa pagtuturo ng drug education sa mga elementary pupils sa ating probinsya na bahagi ng programang “Pulis ko, Titser ko” program ng Philippine National Police (PNP).

I would like to reiterate our sincerest thanks to the Provincial Government of Pangasinan for extending its full support for the seminar.

(For your comments and reactions, please email to: punch.sunday@gmail.com)

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