THE campaign of the government and the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte to put an end to the illegal drugs scourge in the country is as successful as the next batch of several kilos of "shabu" that will be discovered by the authorities or the next group of drug pushers or drug users apprehended in buy-bust operations on the next day or a couple of days after tomorrow.
This is now the norm and routine expected in the war on drugs. From the so many kilos of shabu being seized to the dozens of drug users and drug pushers either arrested or killed with regularity, one would think that the country is actually awash and wallowing in illegal drugs and that the so-called "drug surrenderers" represent only a miniscule percentage of the actual number of drug pushers and users in the country. This is not only disturbing but even frightening given the implication that our country might have already become a narco state as earlier feared by President Digong himself, and that the only way to stave off this impending disaster is to escalate the war on drugs.
But right now, what is more disturbing is the uneasy feeling that despite all efforts being exerted by the authorities in going against these drug lords and their minions, there seems to be no stopping the unabated entry of "shabu" into the country and the continued use of the said illegal drug by people from all walks of life.
It also seems as if these drug syndicates are constantly challenging and thumbing their noses at the government daring the latter to stop them their nefarious activity.
Perhaps, the police and even the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) should rethink some of their strategies and devise some more measures that would finally strangle and choke the drug pipeline into the country.
What if the PNP and the PDEA would suddenly come up with a reward and bounty system that would come up to par or even rival reward money being offered by the US for the heads of ISIS leaders captured either dead or alive. For instance, what if the government would be willing to pay P5 million to any individual who could provide A-1 or solid information leading to the capture, arrest or neutralization of top level drug trafficker in the country. The information must of course be reliable in that it could be validated immediately after it has been offered either to the police or the PDEA. Not only that but the same amount could be offered as a reward for information that would lead to the discovery of not less than 10 kilos of shabu.
The idea of putting up large amounts of reward money for the capture or elimination of drug personalities in the country is a practical way of neutralizing the influence of drug lords and drug syndicates who entice their members to not only use shabu but also sell them with the promise of large returns and income from the product sold. If these dope fiends can lure ordinary individuals into risking their life and limbs for the chance to make some money out of selling white powder then perhaps the government can use the same tactic of luring these drug addicts to tell on their suppliers with the promise of huge amounts of reward money. The government must consider all options to win this war on drugs.