Tuesday, September 11, 2007 Diaz: On the illicit drug trade By Cris Diaz
WHILE there are reports about the proliferation of illicit drug trade in the locality, this problem seemed to persist only in the minds of the citizenry.
Efforts to curb this malady have proven futile. It appears there is no immediate solution in site. Yes, folks…fighting drug trafficking is an uphill battle!
It's not only in Cagayan de Oro City in particular or the Philippines in general that drug addiction is identified as a social cancer.
In most parts of the world, the unlawful drug trade is a perennial problem. The outlawed drug trade has attacked the moral fiber of well-meaning communities around the world.
Powerful decision makers are no longer exempt to the tentacles of drug trade. There are cases, although rare, that those occupying sensitive positions in the government are not spared from drug's illicit trade. This is happening around elsewhere and everywhere.
In a sense, Cagayan de Oro City is not an exemption. Yes, a small city with less than one million people like Cagayan de Oro City has not been spared from unlawful drug trade.
At one time, Cagayan de Oro City had been identified as the transient capital of illicit drug trade in Northern Mindanao.
Yet, we suspect this tagged as "transient capital" since not a single big fish had been caught plying unlawful drugs in Cagayan de Oro City.
We appreciate efforts of our law enforcers in getting into the bottom of illicit drug trafficking. On the other hand, we are also apprehensive on why suspected "drug lords" are able to get away with dragnets.
We have no idea how the illicit drug trade exchange hands in the city. However, we aware of the apprehensions, arrests and raids on suspected drug lairs. Again, where are the big fish?
Most of those arrested, were but just "thrill-seeker-users" who stole money from their parents. These drug users are not really into drug trafficking. They're victims of illicit drug trade!
What the community would want to see is an arrest of influential people who may have directly or indirectly link with illegal drug trade.
We want to see unlawful drug laboratories raided and those involved sent to jail without bail.
We want our law enforcers to draw their guns against suppliers of illicit drugs. We want these people publicly hanged as a grim reminder to those who venture on unlawful drug trade.
Well, these are easily said than done. Even the most advance and sophisticated countries around the world could not curtail proliferation of illicit drug trades in their areas.
But, no matter how futile, we appreciate everything that our government is doing in curbing the growth of illicit drug trade in our country.
People in Cagayan de Oro City feel the same, too. Cagayanons want illegal drug trade eradicated in the locality.
(Cris Diaz is adjudged "Best in Column Writing" by the Rotary Club of Metro Cagayan de Oro, 2000. E-mail: column_ph@yahoo.com)
