PRESIDENT Rody Duterte’s war against drugs has triggered a “nuclear explosion” of killings of drug personalities, with at least 100 of them now dead.
Manuel Diokno, Free Legal Assistance Group (Flag) chairman, said, “President Duterte’s war on crime has spawned a nuclear explosion of violence that is spiraling out of control and creating a nation without judges, without law and without reason.”
What’s worrisome is when ordinary citizens get used to these killings, or worse, join the fray.
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PNP Chief Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa said they will try to solve the illegal drug problem in three to six months. President Rody said it may not be solved in six months, but perhaps in six months and one day.
It’s clear they’re working on a timetable with a clear message that death comes certain to those involved in the illegal drug trade.
So, the PNP’s Operation Tokhang or “toktok-hangyo” was successful. When police knock on the door of drug personalities, it means surrender or die.
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Thousands of drug personalities across the country have surrendered. But all the police did was to take their photos and fingerprints and let them sign a pledge to stop their illegal activities.
But quitting drugs is not as easy as signing a pledge to stop using or pushing drugs. Some drug pushers returned to their old ways immediately after they surrendered.
Many of them who resisted arrest got killed under a police self-defense rule. As the canto boys say, “You don’t surrender, you die. You surrender, you die. Same die.”
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How about the drug users who surrender? In Cebu Province alone, a total of 7,778 drug personalities have surrendered from July 1 to 10. Of this number, 1,117 are drug pushers, 6,650 are drug users and 11 others are maintaining drug dens.
But do we have a rehabilitation center big enough to accommodate these drug users who have surrendered?
Was the surrender merely a game the police and drug users play? How about the source of shabu? A floating shabu lab was found sailing near the country on Tuesday.