NEGROS Occidental Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the fight against illegal drugs should have no timeline and should continue as long as there are prohibited substances.
Lacson was reacting to the statement of President Rodrigo Duterte asking for another six months to fight illegal drugs in the country.
“Colombia has been going at it for 30 years now. Still illegal drugs is a thriving business there,” he pointed out. “That's why the President should not put a timeline in the campaign against illegal drugs.”
Lacson acknowledged that the government “has never been this determined before” referring to the campaign against illegal drugs.
Malacañang had earlier said Duterte has extended his fight against narcotics by another six months so he could be able to make a "comprehensive solution" to stamp out the country’s drug problem.
"The President is merely becoming realistic – that it can't be done so six more months are needed to curb this prob\lem in illegal drugs," Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said last week.
Andanar's statement came after Duterte said that he needed more time to address the proliferation of drugs in the country, given that there are about millions of Filipinos connected to drugs.
"I didn't realize how severe and how serious the problem of drug menace in this republic [was] until I became president," Duterte said.
"Even if I wanted to, I cannot kill them all because the last report would be this thick," he added, demonstrating through his hand how thick the drug list was.
Moreover, On Duterte’s statement that the Philippines has been infiltrated by narco-politics, Lacson said that since the President has access to intelligence reports, “he would have basis to lay this claim.”
“Now, why not bring the suspects to court,” he added.
However, Lacson said he “does not believe that politicians in Negros are part of this narco-politics.”