Senators air concern about "harsher" drug campaign
Published Feb 22, 2019 04:12 pm
By Vanne Elaine Terrazola
Senators have appealed to the Duterte administration to focus on rehabilitation of drug users as it wages a "harsher" war on illegal drugs.
The senators pause for a photo before the opening of the second regular session of the 17th Congress at the Senate yesterday. Seated, from left, are: Senators Cynthia Villar, Nancy Binay, Franklin Drilon, Ralph Recto, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, Vicente Sotto, Loren Legarda, Grace Poe, Risa Hontiveros, (standing) Richard Gordon, Miguel Zubiri, Panfilo Lacson, Gringo Honasan, Edgardo Angara Jr., JV Ejercito, Emmanuel Pacquiao, (third row) Joel Villanueva, Benigno ‘Bam’ Aquino, Francis Escudero, and Sherwin Gatchalian. (Ali Vicoy | Manila Bulletin)
Senate President Vicente Sotto III said that while he supports President Duterte in ordering an intensified campaign against illegal drugs, he expects that the government give importance on addressing the abuse of the substance.
"I'm in favor of stronger approach but all within legal limitations. This time I hope there will be more emphasis on prevention and rehabilitation," Sotto said in a text message.
"As for drug pushers, throw them everything including the kitchen sink," he noted.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros, for her part, expressed concern that the heightened drug war will result in more human rights violations and killings.
"Sabi ni Presidente magiging mas harsh kahit ba bago niya sinabing magiging harsh, harsh talaga. Higit dalawampung libo na ang napapatay na...At para paulit-ulit niyang sabihin, sa kanyang SONA man o sa kanyang ibang mga public statements, ay lalo lang magpapatindi ng lungkot, takot, at rejection ng ganyang klaseng approach sa isang social and economic problem natin," the opposition senator said in an interview when asked to comments on the Chief Executive pronouncements.
Hontiveros reiterated that the campaign against drugs will not be successful unless the government treats the drug menace as a public health concern.
Drug users, she maintained, are victims of illegal drugs.
"Dapat sila ay tinuturing pasyente at ginagamot, hindi tinuturing lamang o hindi tinuturing na less than human at karapat dapat patayin na lang dahil hindi na daw sila puwede gumaling," she said.
"Dapat hindi lang law enforcement approach sa problema natin sa drug use. Dapat talaga public health approach," she added.
For Sen. Joel Villanueva, the Duterte administration should first "correct" the wrong implementation of the campaign against illegal drugs.
Although he understands the President's "passion" against drug syndicates, Villanueva proposed that Duterte consider "other ways" to address the country's problem in illegal drugs.
"We really have to caution the administration in ensuring na may ilang mga paraan na dapat nating pagtuunan ng pansin, dahil klaro din na may mali naman talagang operations, na may maling nangyari sa pagpapatupad ng ating mga batas (that there are some other ways that we can look at, because it had been clear that there were questionable operations, and that there were instances that they implemented our laws in the wrong manner)," he said.
Villanueva specifically referred to the killing of 17-year-old student Kian delos Santos in 2017, when Caloocan City policemen reported that he fought it out with them to justify their claim that the teenager was a drug runner.
"'Yong collateral damage lalong lalaki kung itutuloy nang walang pakundangan at di iko-correct 'yong mga pagkakamali na ating nakita (The collateral damage will worsen if we will continue this without thinking and not correct the mistakes that we have seen)," he warned.
In a speech last Wednesday, Duterte said that he wants to step up his famous war on illegal drugs amid recent reports on the seizure of blocks of cocaine in the country’s shores.
He said the Sinaloa and Medellin drug cartels from Mexico were behind the cocaine packages as they joined the drug trafficking activities in the country.
"I am declaring war. I am not declaring a punitive police action. It cannot help and it would not help. So early on I decided but I think I’d be more – well I said harsher in the days to come," Duterte said.
The senators pause for a photo before the opening of the second regular session of the 17th Congress at the Senate yesterday. Seated, from left, are: Senators Cynthia Villar, Nancy Binay, Franklin Drilon, Ralph Recto, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, Vicente Sotto, Loren Legarda, Grace Poe, Risa Hontiveros, (standing) Richard Gordon, Miguel Zubiri, Panfilo Lacson, Gringo Honasan, Edgardo Angara Jr., JV Ejercito, Emmanuel Pacquiao, (third row) Joel Villanueva, Benigno ‘Bam’ Aquino, Francis Escudero, and Sherwin Gatchalian. (Ali Vicoy | Manila Bulletin)
Senate President Vicente Sotto III said that while he supports President Duterte in ordering an intensified campaign against illegal drugs, he expects that the government give importance on addressing the abuse of the substance.
"I'm in favor of stronger approach but all within legal limitations. This time I hope there will be more emphasis on prevention and rehabilitation," Sotto said in a text message.
"As for drug pushers, throw them everything including the kitchen sink," he noted.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros, for her part, expressed concern that the heightened drug war will result in more human rights violations and killings.
"Sabi ni Presidente magiging mas harsh kahit ba bago niya sinabing magiging harsh, harsh talaga. Higit dalawampung libo na ang napapatay na...At para paulit-ulit niyang sabihin, sa kanyang SONA man o sa kanyang ibang mga public statements, ay lalo lang magpapatindi ng lungkot, takot, at rejection ng ganyang klaseng approach sa isang social and economic problem natin," the opposition senator said in an interview when asked to comments on the Chief Executive pronouncements.
Hontiveros reiterated that the campaign against drugs will not be successful unless the government treats the drug menace as a public health concern.
Drug users, she maintained, are victims of illegal drugs.
"Dapat sila ay tinuturing pasyente at ginagamot, hindi tinuturing lamang o hindi tinuturing na less than human at karapat dapat patayin na lang dahil hindi na daw sila puwede gumaling," she said.
"Dapat hindi lang law enforcement approach sa problema natin sa drug use. Dapat talaga public health approach," she added.
For Sen. Joel Villanueva, the Duterte administration should first "correct" the wrong implementation of the campaign against illegal drugs.
Although he understands the President's "passion" against drug syndicates, Villanueva proposed that Duterte consider "other ways" to address the country's problem in illegal drugs.
"We really have to caution the administration in ensuring na may ilang mga paraan na dapat nating pagtuunan ng pansin, dahil klaro din na may mali naman talagang operations, na may maling nangyari sa pagpapatupad ng ating mga batas (that there are some other ways that we can look at, because it had been clear that there were questionable operations, and that there were instances that they implemented our laws in the wrong manner)," he said.
Villanueva specifically referred to the killing of 17-year-old student Kian delos Santos in 2017, when Caloocan City policemen reported that he fought it out with them to justify their claim that the teenager was a drug runner.
"'Yong collateral damage lalong lalaki kung itutuloy nang walang pakundangan at di iko-correct 'yong mga pagkakamali na ating nakita (The collateral damage will worsen if we will continue this without thinking and not correct the mistakes that we have seen)," he warned.
In a speech last Wednesday, Duterte said that he wants to step up his famous war on illegal drugs amid recent reports on the seizure of blocks of cocaine in the country’s shores.
He said the Sinaloa and Medellin drug cartels from Mexico were behind the cocaine packages as they joined the drug trafficking activities in the country.
"I am declaring war. I am not declaring a punitive police action. It cannot help and it would not help. So early on I decided but I think I’d be more – well I said harsher in the days to come," Duterte said.