Under the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., a more holistic approach has been formulated to deal with the menace of drug addiction and the narcotics trade — as opposed to his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, who initiated a brutal anti-illegal drug campaign that cost the lives of thousands of drug personalities, including innocents who were just suspected to be involved or were collateral damage police drug raids where suspects resisted arrest.
Just days after his assumption as president, Marcos Jr. faced the country’s drug problem squarely, directing law enforcers to intensify their campaign and operations while adopting a humane and sublime approach even as he emphasized that the issue is more of a public health concern rather than a menace that threatens the fabrics of our society.
But at the House of Representatives’ Quad Committee — composed of the House Committees on Dangerous Drugs, Public Order and Safety, Human Rights and Public Accounts and chaired by Surigao del Norte solon Robert Ace Barbers — hearings on the previous administration’s drug war and the extrajudicial killings (EJKs) that went with it, the former president insisted that his anti-illegal campaign was a success because it ‘minimized’ the prevalence of narcotics in the country.
Duterte’s Rationale
Duterte claimed that “(he) had to do it because it was demanded at the time and whether (people) believe it or not, whether (there are) the statistics different from (his) — the government — (his drug war had) gone a long way to protect the people, especially the children.”
He rationalized: “You cannot entirely eradicate drugs because pang hanap buhay iyan until now (people are using that to earn money) . . . It is a commercial thing, that is of value, and people na walang trabaho, walang hanapbuhay, papasok talaga d’yan, (especially) if they are criminally inclined to do it.”
Still, Marcos Jr. countered that the government’s current anti-drug campaign is much more than it has been in the past. “So, it’s the most successful approach to the drug war so far. So, why will we change it? We won’t change it; we’ll continue to do what we are doing. Of course, I cannot explain to you every detail of what we are doing, but we will continue to do what we are doing.”
Based on official data, the Marcos administration’s anti-drug initiative has netted a record ₱40.32 billion worth of illegal drugs.
It’s ironic that despite repeated efforts to curb the illegal drug trade within the NBP, the problem persists. This, in fact, has prompted prison authorities to relocate high-value inmates to an undisclosed location, for now.
Failure To Launch
It’s ironic that despite repeated efforts to curb the illegal drug trade within the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), the problem persists.
This, in fact, has prompted prison authorities to relocate high-value inmates to an undisclosed location, for now.
Local Governments and Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla has acknowledged the failure of current security measures, including regular inspections and surprise raids, to effectively stop the flow of drugs within the prison.
The current system, where authorities conduct regular inspections and raids on cells to search for drugs and contraband, is no longer effective, Remulla admitted.
Security Lapses
According to authorities, small-time drug dealers apprehended outside the prison often claim to have received their supply from within the NBP.
This raises questions about how drugs are able to enter the prison, which is supposed to have tight security.
The issue has become a recurring problem, with numerous directives issued to address it, but to no avail.
A prominent personality previously incarcerated at Bilibid even revealed that the prison housed a shabu manufacturing facility.
This explains why high-profile inmates convicted of drug offenses continue to operate their businesses from within the prison, living a life of luxury and seemingly unaffected by their confinement.
It has also led to suspicions of corruption among prison officials and guards, who have allegedly been involved in facilitating the drug trade.
Relocating Guilty Inmates
Despite these concerns, no concrete action has been taken to hold these individuals accountable. Instead, officials have been replaced, but the system remains the same.
Remulla has announced that if the situation does not improve, high-value inmates will be transferred to a remote location where they will be unable to use mobile phones to contact their assets and continue their drug operations.
They are hoping that this relocation will finally put an end to the drug trade within the prison.
Only time will tell if this drastic measure will be successful.
