By Eva C. Visperas

 

WHILE many of us marked the 127^th Independence Day on June 12 with flags, parades, wreath-laying and online tributes, a group of humble fishermen in Pangasinan and Ilocos Sur celebrated the spirit of Filipino heroism in its purest form: through action, sacrifice, and moral courage.

Between June 5 and 9, more than 1,000 kilograms of high-grade shabu — worth over ₱7 billion — were recovered floating along the coastal waters of Agno, Bani, and Bolinao in Pangasinan, and parts of Ilocos Sur.

What makes this recovery extraordinary isn’t just the scale of the illegal drugs, but the fact that it was made possible by the vigilance and integrity of 56 fisherfolk who could have easily chosen silence and unimaginable instant wealth.

Let’s be clear: these men could barely make ends meet. They wake up before dawn to catch fish in uncertain waters, only to sell their catch for just enough to survive another day. Yet when fortune, cloaked in temptation, floated before them in the form of tightly packed sacks of shabu, they didn’t take the bait.

They chose country over cash. They chose conscience over convenience.

These fisherfolk turned over the drugs to the authorities, one by one, in 40 separate instances.

It was no accident. It was collective moral discipline. They knew not to keep what wasn’t theirs — not a cellphone found, not a missing wallet, and certainly not illegal drugs that could poison entire communities.

This is the kind of patriotism that cannot be taught in classrooms or preached in sermons; it is lived in small boats, along rough tides, by the least celebrated of our countrymen.

So as we raised our flags on June 12, we should have also raised our glasses to these unsung heroes. They didn’t die on a battlefield, but they defended our communities just the same.

But let us also not forget: This enormous haul raises critical questions. In a press conference held just hours before the full extent of the recovery was made public, I asked PBGen Lou Evangelista, police regional director, if the increasing volume of shabu seizures was a sign of law enforcement efficiency or a dangerous sign of proliferation. That very evening, news broke about the biggest floating shabu haul in our local history.

Was this shipment intended for a newly established shabu lab in Pangasinan? Are local or foreign drug lords embedding themselves in the province? Who is orchestrating this kind of maritime trafficking in our waters?

Authorities must dig deeper, faster, and without compromise.

This is not just a matter of drugs slipping through our borders — it’s about the integrity of our coastlines, the security of our provinces, and the safety of future generations.

We now know that our waters are being targeted by syndicates bold enough to gamble billions worth of contraband. That cannot be answered with patrols alone. It requires sustained intelligence work, international coordination, and, most importantly, unrelenting political will.

And yet, amid the shadows of crime, the light of ordinary heroism shines through. These fishermen remind us that the fight against drugs is not just a job for the police, but a duty for all of us who call this nation home.

In their humility and honor, they have set a standard we can all strive to live by: to remain vigilant, honest, and brave — especially when no one is watching. 

Mabuhay ang mga mangingisdang Pilipino. Kayo ang tunay na bayani ng ating kalayaan.

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