Inside Philippine politics & beyond

The war against illegal drugs: Real or propaganda?

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I am publishing below an opinion piece by Yvonne, one of the long-time member of Cyber Plaza Miranda, the forum on this site. I know Yvonne’s name but for now, she prefers to use this handle.

The questions that Yvonne poses are the same questions I have been raring to ask, in the absence of a press conference with President Rodrigo Duterte. – Raissa 

By Yvonne

Guest-Post-webThe war against illegal drugs resonates strongly with the Filipino people hence there is a tendency amongst us to accept the government news reports on this matter – hook, line, and sinker – often blurring the lines between reality and what might be plain government propaganda.

Is the war against illegal drugs by President Duterte for real or just illusionary government propaganda to create the appearance that he is making good on his election promise to solve the country’s drug problem within 3 to 6 months of his presidency?

Let us ask some probing questions to find out. First, let us consider the following events:

The media have been blanketed with news about thousands and thousands of alleged drug users and pushers or dealers who ‘surrendered’ to police authorities, suggesting that the war against illegal drugs are gaining strong traction.

Thousands surrendered, really? People surrender when they are accused of wrongdoing and the police are going after them. Have those people been accused of drug-related crimes and are the authorities looking for them that they have to ‘surrender’?

Drug users usually fit their profile – they manifest fragile personality and emotional deprivation, typically incoherent or unresponsive, depressed, unkempt, disorganized, prone to violence, eyes dilated, etc. But not these thousands and thousands of surrenderee – they behaved, they follow orders, they are neatly dressed by our local standard, they look socially integrated, etc. Many are smiling and some are even waving into the cameras. It is also a big contrast to photos or video clips of arrested drug pushers who would normally hide their face in shame or to cover their identities from the press. So, are those people really drug users and pushers, or are they ordinary people who might have been misled into joining “a gathering” or “meeting” to show their support in the war against drugs, not knowing that they are being labeled as drug users or pushers?

Those people supposedly ‘surrendered’ because they fear for their lives. But didn’t Duterte say they would be killed only if they resisted arrest and fought back? So why fear for their lives if they were not under arrest, much less if they had no intention of fighting back if arrested? Are we now in a frightening police state that the mere appearance or suspicion of wrongdoing is enough to require your surrender, or risk getting killed by the authorities?

Duterte made a very public and well publicized threat that Peter Lim, a notorious top drug kingpin who was then believed to be abroad, will be killed the moment he set his foot at the airport. Well, surely he was not killed when he set his foot in Malacanang, instead of the airport. What he got was a well-publicized audience with Duterte, and what looked like an offer for him to help the president in the war against drugs. Is Duterte really serious? Isn’t this a clear double-standard in the fight against drugs? A different set of rules for the poor and powerless and another set of rules for the rich and powerful? Isn’t this sending mixed, if not conflicting, signals to the drug lords and the general public?

Consider also Duterte’s public declaration that five high ranking PNP officials, three in active service and two retired officials, are deeply involved and are major players in illegal drugs. Did any of those PNP officials get shot and killed just like the lowly drug traffickers and pushers that we read in the newspapers almost every day? Obviously, the answer is no, not by a long shot (no pun intended). Instead the three active ranking PNP officials got an emotional audience with Gen. Ronald “Bala” Dela Rosa where it was reported that the PNP Chief cried with them during their face-to-face confrontation at his office.

Why did Dela Rosa become emotional and cry with them? Is it because the PNP officials are innocent and are wrongly accused? Did he cry in pity with them because of their destroyed career and reputation? Why cry with them if they are really into illegal drugs as Duterte disclosed? Shouldn’t Dela Rosa be angry with them and arrest them on the spot? Could it be that he could not arrest them for lack of evidence? And if there was lack of evidence, why name and shame them publicly in the first place? Was the turn of events for real, or was it just a side show for public consumption?

And most recently news of the turnover of police control at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) from the regular PNP police to the PNP-SAP was all over the mass media. The news included footage of Gen. Dela Rosa confronting the three drug kingpins – Golangco, Co, and Sebastian – who are incarcerated at the NBP, and news of the confiscated contraband – drugs, weapons, signal boosters, money, etc. – found in their prison cells.

Ok, here are some simple questions: why didn’t the PNP-SAF punish the drug kingpins for keeping the contraband? Why are those drug kingpins not placed in isolation cells, or held incommunicado, as their punishment for breaking the rules at the NBP? Surely, they do not need a court order to do that. Why do they seem to receive special treatment even at the NBP? Are those drug kingpins still untouchable?

Let me be clear. I’m all in favor of an honest war against illegal drugs and I’m hoping President Duterte will be successful on this front. But let us all be vigilant that this “war” is for real and not a pretext to impose a police state reminiscent of the Martial law era during the Marcos dictatorship.

Comments

  1. The catholic cathchism allows a just war, though the criteria is very strict. In a just war, one is allowed to kill the evil side and its supporters, as in WWII when the rest of the world fought the evil of hitler and his gang. In any war, just or unjust, innocent victims fall too. That is the unfortunate fact.
    Many of our countrymen, and i am one of them, believe that the war against illegal drugs is a just war. I personally hope and pray in this war, good wii finally triumph over evil. I pray for all victims in this war.

    • IMHO, the way that Duterte does his war on illegal drugs in no way fits that definition of “just war”.
      Instead of having the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, it is guilty and shot dead until proven innocent. The unfair and special focus to kill the poor to showcase his toughness and to scare the others is not just war. It is murder. Even in wars, there are rules of engagement. The brutal killing that we see is not just war, it is genocide of the alleged poor drug USERS/pushers.

      He believes that illegal drugs–the pushers and the users–are a menace and prevalent in our society and must be wiped out of this earth. If he is true and consistent with that platform to get rid of the menace, he doesn’t have to go far. He only has to go to congress and senate chamber where can easily corral those who have caused so much menace to our society–those who steal peoples’ money to enrich themselves. They, cause more harm than those lowly drug addicts, even collectively.

      Unfortunately, those powerful ones can afford lawyers who believes and promotes –
      Innocent until proven broke.

    • @ Douglas Gacasan

      In the context of what you posted above, how do you define ‘war’?

      And what is your concept of a ‘just war’?

      Lastly, how did you come to the conclusion that Catholic “cathchism” (sic) allows the waging of a ‘just war’?

      Please enlighten me a bit and I will be willing to engage you in further discussions about your post.

    • @Douglas Gacasan. I’m very happy to state that that you are a minority of one as far as the Catholic Church is concerned. Ask the Pope.
      As they say, ” Every village has one”.

  2. What is the big why?
    I am keeping an open mind. I’m just curious if there is a grand design. Thematic?
    Without help from Wikileaks, I thought I should just throw it out there and perhaps someone can help me sort out some of my questions.
    1. Why Federalism? If it is the revenue share, can that not be achieved by tweaking the current system? The way it works with the federal system that I know, we end up paying 2 taxes-provincial and federal. 99.9% of businesses have to be registered in both levels of govt–another layer of tax grab, and bureaucracy.
    2. I am aware that many have been pushing for constitutional amendments to encourage inflow of foreign investors. How does that fare with federalism?
    3. Is it the idea to give more power to the provinces? Not quite sure how that works. There will always be the haves and have not provinces. The haves will still have to subsidize and help the have nots. (Quebec is a totally different story. Won’t even go there.)
    4. The poorest/undeveloped places are the best breeding places for lawless elements/terrorists. Can’t even begin to imagine who and how the military set up for Mindanao will be.
    5. Is it some kind of scheme to secure some dynasty or political clout?
    6. Is it some back handed way or preliminary step to tear away Mindanao from the Philippines. I am very concerned about Palawan. It has the tendency to be a hot spot–Add Mindanao and China into the mix who may like to carve it out for themselves.
    7. Is Federalism some kind of a silver bullet to help solve all our current socio-political economic challenges that it is positioned as a top priority, with great sense of urgency.
    8. Tag as many addicts as possible, shoot and scare–put the fear of God amongst men, propaganda to the max and charm like a devil. (I must admit, the aura of the benevolent dictator((?)) has changed a few shades.)
    9. Federalism, the campaign for it has been on for a very long time.

  3. I just want to thank the 977 readers/CPMers (as of this posting date) who liked this article on their Facebook. Thank you all.

  4. When DU30 mentioned federalism he talked about a parliamentary federal form of government with an elected president like France.

    This reminds me of the Marcos parliamentary form of government during martial law when he was the strong president and Cesar Virata as Prime Minister.

    If this is the type of federal government he is advocating, is he sending a signal for Bongbong to prepare for the presidency once federalism is decided in a referendum?

      • still, bong marcos cannot just be grafted in to the position as president. he still has to pass the litmus test and has to be voted in. the voting public is the final arbiter.

    • If I’m not mistaken about the French presidential-parliamentary system, the president is just ceremonial but still a head of state. I like it but then, it doesn’t mean that it would be as effective if we adopt it. I’m open to federalism and I hope FOI and the anti-dynasty laws are passed before it and even the relaxation of the bank secrecy law. There is no perfect system but the current system is proved to be not as effective and needs to be changed and try something else, just my opinion.

    • FMarcos’ latter part years of ‘gov’t’ was both a Presidential and Parliamentary form of gov’t (quasi, half-half). Him as the Pres. while C Virata as the PM (Titular head) with the General Assembly (or congress) under the PM, but the Pres. wielded political and executive powers over the whole gov’t. At time, the PM was a delegated spokesperson, of the President in gov’t just functionaries.

      Digong’s version of ‘Federalism’ is yet to be in paper. His campaign talk was sort of parliamentary, similar to neighboring Malaysia daw. It is not the same as France.

      PDU30 is still teething at this early stage of his presidency. He finds himself contradicting based on established norms and types of gov’t of other countries.

      • erra

        At times the PM was a delegated spokesperson, of the President in gov’t just functionaries.

      • addendum

        The President was also the Commander in Chief of the AFP including the Integrated Nat’l Police , and can appoint members in the SC.

    • We are talking here of a system, not of personalities. There is need for a bloody debate here, as one senator puts it, to ensure that the process is transparent and so we can come up with a better system than what we have which has failed our people.
      There is no room for cynicism in this important undertaking.

    • PDU30’s Hotline for reporting corruption.

      Diall 888 daw sabi ni Digong.
      (i hope i got the numbers right, mabiro ang talumpati)

      Very familiar ang mga numero. heh he heh

      • Mel, kaw ha, po(rn) sx number yata yan , kaya familyar sa yo.;)

        The State of the Nation’s Addicts has been a comedic standing ovation. The applause are constrained and feeble,,,,, hiyang hiya silang lahat .

        IF YOU CAN’T DO IT IN 6 MONTHS, JUST DO IT IN JEST.
        Mababaw naman ang kaligayahan ng pinoy.

        IS HE STILL UP TO IT?
        Why does it sound like he is saying he is no longer qualified?
        No one in his right mind would ever say that to the nation boasting of his accomplishment. Why?

        • hinde, ganito iyon –

          ——– pero eto muna

          tumawa muna ngarud bago ang numerong ocho, ocho, ocho.

          below is a portion of digong’s speech. duon sa hmmp, ummp, ungg…

          https://youtu.be/xGc0nGMnKCk?t=6542

          digong left it to the audience’s carnal imagination when recollecting a persistent gina l. on her environmental advocacy. time setting was early in the morning after digong won the election.

          heh he heh

          that was ‘kuwentong digong’ but a bit hilarious

          —–

          triple eights? sabi ng iba parang chicken joy from jollibee.
          ‘inde, iyong mga numero parte ng email address ng handle ko.

          maybe RR can share if there are enquiries to date.

        • re ‘IF YOU CAN’T DO IT IN 6 MONTHS, … IS HE STILL UP TO IT?’

          Unabated illegal drug trade is big business. It is a given fact. What do I mean?

          Digong’s crusade is petty. In his speech, he did acknowledge that among others. As RR in this article, it will be ongoing even after digong’s term.

          The best resource i can pass onto you and to whosoever who wishes to dig in a grand scale is this –

          The Red Button Problem
          Catherine, Glossary on December 29, 2008 at 12:12 pm

          https://solari.com/blog/the-red-button-problem/

          The article is intriguing. The answer is not piecemeal. You’d have to ask good questions to check for answers on Catherine Austin Fitts’ web links and archive articles. She used to be the ‘Assistant Secretary of Housing and Federal Housing[2] Commissioner at the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development in the first Bush Administration’

    • Yong tungkol sa wps parang sa pagkakaintindi ko sa sinabi nya ay nada korte pa rin ng tribunal. Tinawag din yang ang wps ay china sea. Ndi ba tapos na ang kaso at tayo ang may karapatan sa mga rocks na kinuwestyon sa pca. Magulo tlga sya. At binasa ni andanar ang speech umiyak sya eh bakit tawa tayo ng tawa. Tears or cry of what? Or naiyak sa katatawa hahaha.
      Hindi nila inaasahan na magdi digress si pd ah.

      • heh he heh

        Hindi iyakan. Tawanan blues, pati rin iyong press officer niya na nagsabing naiyak siya sa draft speech ni Digong.

        Nasasakyan ko ang mga adhikain at sentimiyento ni Digong.

        He’ll be known as a President full of ‘common sense’, at times overflowing with none sense. Pero he is a man of the masses, he speaks the language of the man of the street.

        @rOSARIO, tapus nah ang PCA – tamah ka.

        iyong operator ng teleprompter niya, sinasabihan pa niyang bilisan mo, o itaas mo nah.

        heh he heh

    • SoKo = State of Kwento ito ! 1 Hour 36 minutes na ! Pahiya si Sec. Andanar ! 38 minutes eh!

      Matalo kaya nya si Fidel Castro ng Cuba – 7 hours speech? Umuosok na yun upuan ko sa init !

      ha ha ha

      • Daghan Salamat ! – 1 hour 44 minutes !

        Tapos with ad libs. . .

        I loved the shortest speech. . . kuno.

        • Mga kapuwa cpmers, PDU30 needs help, not for extra-judicial assistance for summary actions on whatever.

          Rather, for understanding … a bit of consideration. Sa tagalog, pagpapasensiyahan na lang po ninyo.

      • Kung may kuwentong kutsero o kuwentong gani – meron na ngayong Kuwentong Digong o DU30.

        Does Sen R Cayetano still feel the same about his preferred President?

    • Miraculously GMA is cured and no neck braces

      hmmm the guy from Pangasinan is also there …(will he be active again?)

  7. For the benefit of those without access to same, below is the wording from RA9851 with regard to Genocide.

    Section 5. Genocide – (a) For the purpose of this Act, “genocide” means any of the following acts with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, religious, social or any other similar stable and permanent group as such:
    (1) Killing members of the group;
    (2) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
    (3) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction
    in whole or in part;
    (4) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; and
    (5) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
    (b) It shall be unlawful for any person to directly and publicly incite others to commit genocide.
    Any person found guilty of committing any of the acts specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section shall suffer the penalty provided under Section 7 of this Act.
    Section 7. Penalties. – Any person found guilty of committing any of the acts provided under Sections 4, 5 and 6 of this Act shall suffer the penalty of reclusion temporal in its medium to maximum period and a fine ranging from One hundred thousand pesos (Php 100,000.00) to Five hundred thousand pesos (Php 500,000.00).
    When justified by the extreme gravity of the crime, especially where the commission of any of the crimes specified herein results in death or serious physical injury, or constitutes rape, and considering the individual circumstances of the accused, the penalty of reclusion perpetua and a fine ranging from Five hundred thousand pesos (Php 500,000.00) to One million pesos (Php 1,000,000.00) shall be imposed.
    Any person found guilty of inciting others to commit genocide referred to in Section 5(b) of this Act shall suffer the penalty of prision mayor in its minimum period and a fine ranging from Ten thousand pesos (Php 10,000.00) to Twenty thousand pesos (Php 20,000.00).
    In addition, the court shall order the forfeiture of proceeds, property and assets derived, directly or indirectly, from that crime, without prejudice to the rights of bona fide third (3rd) parties. The court shall also impose the corresponding accessory penalties under the Revised Penal Code, especially where the offender is a public officer.

    Whether we like it or not, drug addicts are a “social group” albeit a not so flavorsome one.

    My attempts to italicise and highlight were removed by posting.

      • At the moment I can think of nothing. I have no power. Those with both power and a conscience might do something. In the meantime pray for the souls of those killed.

        • Amen. We pray for the deceased, the powerless and the powerful. Visiting Rome soon. Will deliver a special request for most special prayer to help our nation. Peace, blessings!

        • I think, in psychology, it’s called scapegoating. don’t be scapegoat and fight a battle that is not yours, figuratively speaking. or you’ll get burned, and badly too. many of those that fight other people’s battle can barely recover, bogged down with the aftermath of lasting injuries both physical and mental, while those whom the battle was fought for, move on, leaving you on your own, alone and vulnerable. and often you are blamed for the weakling that you are, for not fighting well enough and giving it your all, cursing you for your failure. when in fact, you fought hardest, but did not get the back up needed, because instead of helping you, the people concerned stood by and did nothing.

          if you really must fight other people’s battle, make sure you’re invited, the people are with you all the way, side by side, and not sitting back, putting their feet up and watching you do all the fighting. to fight a successful battle, you and the people have got to be partners. and there has got to be trust too. the people must want to fight as much as you do, and supporting you.

          it’s quiet at the moment. we can play good samaritan by voicing concerns. when the people have enough of killing, they’ll cry for help. do answer, but don’t be scapegoated.

    • My opn only . . . this Act does not and cannot cover, clearly or even unclearly, the killing those iLLegal drugs lords or users, et. al.

      Not even genocide at that.

      But the simple acts of MURDER or HOMICIDE under the Revised Penal Code, as Amended, would be more applicable. And maybe also the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, etc.

      • @Leona. I think that perhaps your doubt hinges around the term “stable and permanent social group”. I think the adjective, “stable” is ill used in this regard. For instance:

        sta·ble1
        ˈstābəl/Submit
        adjective
        not likely to change or fail; firmly established.
        “a stable relationship”

        This definition of stable could very well be applied to a group of drug addicts who are now a permanent feature of our society.

        My opinion remains the same, however, I have in the past quoted the Revised Penal Code but based on the sheer numbers invoved I came down on the side of genocide. Also, if genocide can be proved then it is relatively easy to prosecute the President under the RA.

        • I’m not a legal eagle. I am just reading and interpreting the English to the best of my ability.

        • You are right my doubts hinges etc.

          Regardless of the sheer numbers of killings. . . this can be counted per each killing. So, so many acts of murder or homicides can do as many as committed under different incidents, etc.

          Genocide, I can understand, may as understood generally: ‘the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a particular ethnic group or nation.’

          ‘ethnic group’ . . . I cannot completely believe ‘iLLegal drug lords or users’ can belong under this understanding unless the law re-defines what is genocide to include the killed victims. As a ‘group’ it is unclear because ‘group’ will be based on ‘ethnicity’ like a ‘race’ of specified people.

          Thanks for your efforts. It’s worth discussing. :-)

        • Section 5. Genocide – (a) For the purpose of this Act, “genocide” means any of the following acts with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, religious, social or any other similar stable and permanent group as such:
          (1) Killing members of the group;

          “religious, social or any other similar stable and permanent group”, on this hinges my conclusion.

          I understand that drugs are a social problem. To me, it therefore follows that drug users are a social group. Stable or not depends on how one defines stable. Permanent, they have been around for centuries.

  8. Sigmund Freud, Whitney Houston, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, Judy Garland, amongst scores of famous people had drug addiction problems but added so much to the lives of others.
    What’s next President Duterte? Are you going to strike at academia and the entertainment industry? Or, as hypocrits normally do, will you be giving the addicts therein a free pass to snort and sniff?
    Don’t all addicts have the right to make their contribution?

    • “does not belittle the drug menace”, to the extend of killing & murdering suspects with impunity?

      • Ang mga cops knows so many things. Simple common sense things but can be evil at that.

        Even if no fights took place, easy to say a fight took place. A firearm (paltik or genuine can be placed near the victim.) No eye witnesses willing to shed light. Place some sachets or bag of iLLegal drug or a stick of it for user killed.

        Alam na ng cops from A to Z lahat itong. Trabaho nila araw-araw. Modifications without limits.

        Etc. Etc.

        Until then, wala pa sa kanila in hot water for murder or homicide. Justice will come later.

        Now, it is in frenzy. Cops will reach to the point of no return but to answer all the frenzies.

        The numbers of death will be unbelievable soon. Bantay !

  10. Someone just posted using the handle “Yvonne”.

    I’m sorry, you can’t do that.

    There is already a regular commenter here named yvonne. In fact, she wrote this opinion piece.

    If you want to post here, you have to use a different handle, so as not to confuse other readers.

    • WOW! Comment na lang may Identity Theft pa! Thanks Raissa for watching and blocking those kind of individual!

      Kung sino ka man MAGNANAKAW ng pangalan! CHANGE ka na sabi nang idolo mo!

      • as far as my memory is concerned, there was a sexy starlet before named Yvonne….she’s pretty.

        • not anymore leona..”those were the days my friend we thought would never end..” lai lai lai…

  11. any doctor will tell you that if the addictive substance is taken away, the addicted will resort to something similar. so how will duterte ever claim to eradicate addiction?perhaps shabu labs.also as this is mainly a chinese manufactured substance, racial tension will ensue, as anxiety is already felt by many with addicted relatives. with so many being killed, it cannot be anything but a bloodbath that many have embraced as part of their pact with the devil.

    • heavens forbid them reformed addicts resorting to sex addiction! he, he, he. one addiction replaced with another: love addicts, food addicts, malingering addicts, etc.

      apparently, drug addicted na rin ang ibang kapolisan, can’t handle the stress of killing innocent bystanders, pretend drug addicts and bread winners of families, pinoys like them who have dreamed of better lives but fall short. instead of rehabilitating these kapolisan, pinarusahan at nawalan sila ng trabaho, nawalan din ng mga benepisyo, and their families are made to suffer the most.

      si bato ay pusong bato.

    • Many ‘doctors’ as ‘experts’ will or can give ‘many’ different medical opinions.

      Let the courts decide.

      he he he

  12. OT : Duterte just signed the FOI Executive Order. I hope someone uses this EO to open the BPI Accounts of Duterte. No ifs no buts, show all the transactions that transpired in these accounts.

    • FOI is for government offices only. Why are you so eager to bring down the president?

      • looking at his bank accounts is bringing down the president?

        why? is he hiding something?

      • WTF. Ang taba ng utak mo. Why are you so eager to defend Duterte if, as Ms. Raissa is saying, he has nothing to hide.

      • @Sui Generis, just a brotherly/sisterly advice or shall we say fatherly, if you belong to a class of your own please don’t bother to mix your simple cell brain here.

        • kawawa naman ang mga ‘tards dito….

          this is Cyber Plaza Miranda –

          if you are a newcomer, read first the comments before attmepting to write

          even just a single word…

        • sui generis has yet to realize it’s not really digong, but the foi being put to the discussion here. it’s strength and merits, its flaws and weaknesses. it’s usefulness, sorry, I cant say how useful foi is when I can find most info about the executive branch in the internet. plus, I don’t need to file and maybe pay fee for search when I can do my own research at anytime of the day and night.

        • generic talaga ang mga tulirotards. iisa ang paraan ng pag-i-isip.
          may maisulat lang kahit irrelevant o hindi nauunawaan ang pulong.
          hoi, “suwi gen”, lahat dito ang gusto ay magtagumpay ang gobyerno sinuman ang pinuno.
          walang nagdarasal dito na mabigo si digong o siya ay mapahamak.
          lahat ay nagnanais na siya ay magtagumpay na maiahon ang bansa mula sa bangin na pinaghulugan ng diktador na makoy sampu ng ibang mga gunggong na namuno sa atin.
          dahil ang ipinaglalaban ng mga narito sa cpm ay ang bansa.
          pag nalihis na sa merito ng pagiging makabayan ang sinasabi ay hindi nagkukuli ang mga tagarito na punahin o ituwid ang kamalian.

        • Ha ha ha
          @chit navarro
          Give the “tards” sometime, they will just simply fade if they can’t handle the heat at CPM. Pero kwidaw, they will simply metamorphose into a new troll until they couldn’t handle the heat again.

      • The question about Pduts BPI accounts is still hanging in the air until now. Just because he won then voila we forget about it. If he would demand transparency from government employees then as duly elected president wether 70pc like it or not, we demand no less. It is as simple as that.

        • ask senator trillanes what happens next ? he said he had the goods. he’s a senator of the land. he has more means to dig into this. he’s tameme now till whenever.

        • nah….spare trillanes of this issue…we’re discussing about foi in its funniest sense.

        • We would not need a senator or Sen. Trillanes for that matter if we have a full FOI law and no bank secrecy law to get to the truth of the matter.

      • thanks, mel. this is the tamest of freedom of info. it must have been thought of by one with only 12% functioning brain whose heart belongs to china. I left my heart in san franbeijing . . . where all the blues . . .

    • The signed FOI states that it should not violate existing laws and jurisprudence. Therefore, this FOI cannot violate the Bank Secrecy Law. Therefore, no waiver, no opening of bank accounts.

      • FOI Dutertized?

        Zarzuelang high na high?

        Does someone think that all Filipinos are high on Shabu, with only 12% functioning brain?

        There are no masters where there are no slaves. Congressmen and senators, ikut-ikot pa more.

        I read it somewhere, a man who had previewed the SONA production cried. We get the drift…someone knows how to use propaganda to the max. Wonder why teleseryes are so popular?

        • digong’s freedom of info is a freedom of info when you’re not having a freedom of info. walang kwenta, walang bale, it should have been written on toilet paper, he, he, he.

        • Duterte set the pace of public crying @ Maxima.

          He started it first by crying at his parents tomb.
          Then there was the very public crying of Gen. Ronald “Bala” Dela Rosa with his crying generals.
          The latest one of course was Secretary Andanar’s crying over Duterte’s SONA.

          And of course the not very public episodes of crying came from those who were killed in the government’s “war” against illegal drugs.

        • cry, if nothing else work. paawa. pls naman, cry kayo, or bring onions, else andanar may lose his job, siya pa naman ang unang bumasa sa sona speech ni digong. already, andanar made bobo by not editing and making it short and concise the presidential meeting (report) of digong and his fav drug lord slash cumpare, peter lim, making digong appear idiotic, making it appear peter lim out-foxed digong, making it cringe-worthy to both watch and read the report.

          oh, its crying time again, you gonna leave me
          I can see that far away look in your eyes,
          I can tell it by the way you hold me darling
          that it would be long before it’s crying time.

          cry tayo sa sona, else andanar be on firing squad.

        • “That I’d been crying over you, crying over you
          Then you said “digong”. left me standing all alone
          Alone and crying, crying, crying crying
          It’s hard to understand but the touch of your hand
          Can start me crying”…dedicated to andar na! ow cry na pala…hehe

        • And the Oscar winner is…

          They have to get a professional, winning director because?
          They fool no one but themselves.

          Karma is a bitch.

          CRY ME A RIVER
          I cry
          You cry
          We cry
          They cry
          Not a big poem
          But “Dutertic”

        • Crocodile Tears.

          Bumenta na iyan panahon pa ni Imelda. Ngayon tuloy na tuloy pa. Crying capital of the word na tayo. Dagdagan pa ang mga telenovela para nguyngyuyan na tayo.

          Totoo yata – I weep for my country.

        • Just ‘in case’ prepare a SPRAYER of water and towel /tissue /toilet paper /napkin .

          he he

        • Singhot pa more.

          My heart goes out to those who died. Those addicts are someone’s son, brother, father–loved one.
          They have been stamped “damaged” goods, a menace to our society. FAILED BY OUR SOCIETY.

      • Yeah, as Atty. Mel Sta. Maria said in his commentary, the devil is in the details. Feeling ko si Atty. Panelo yung nag draft nung EO. Read below the full commentary of Atty. Mel Sta. Maria.

        “President Rodrigo Duterte has signed the Executive Order (EO) on the Freedom of Information. For many, it is a laudable act, but the rejoicing may be dampened once the EO is implemented. As they say, “the devil is in the details.” A close scrutiny of the EO provides its own causes for ineffectivity.

        Section 7 of the Executive Order provides:

        Section 7. Protection of Privacy. While providing access to information, public records and official records, responsible officials shall afford full protection to the right to privacy of the individuals as follows:

        (a) Each government office per Section 2 shall ensure that personal information in its custody or under its control is disclosed or released only if it is material or relevant to the subject matter of the request and its disclosure is permissible under this order, or existing law, rules or regulations;

        The pertinent “existing law”, or at least one of them, in relation to personal information is Republic Act 10173, otherwise known as the Data Privacy Act of 2012. It essentially provides that, as a general rule, the personal information of individuals shall not be revealed and cannot be printed, recorded, used and disseminated by others. This is applicable both to private people and government officials except that, in case of the latter, information can be obtained relating to their positions and functions in the government.

        If the disclosure of the personal information has been claimed by any citizen to be important to the country and therefore should be allowed disclosure, a government sub-agency, the National Privacy Commission (NPC), can determine whether the release of the information will be harmful to the public interest or national security. In short, the NPC can control what can and what cannot be revealed, and how small or expansive can be revealed. In effect, the Data Privacy Act limits freedom of thought and information. It also curtails a citizen’s freedom of speech and expression in matters of national concern involving government officials.

        And so, pursuant to the unnamed “existing law” ( which inevitably includes the Data Privacy Act of 2012) referred to by the EO, secrecy, not transparency is the governing and general rule when it comes to the private lives of government officials. And this “existing law” can always be used as a scapegoat for non-disclosure by executive officials. It can always say that their hands are tied by the “existing law.”

        This is disconcerting for obvious reasons. Government people become corrupt because they put their private interest above the public welfare. While, ostensibly, they will show that their activities serve the people, they may, in fact, be serving their private bank accounts. Let us take for example a public official, X, tasked with handling the transportation mess. He or she orders the change of 15-year old buses contributing to air pollution. The bus companies obey, and order new buses from Y company, a private entity, upon subtle overtures of X because Y company is owned by X’s Family where Z, the brother of X, is X’s corporate-dummy.

        Clearly, this scheme creates a serious conflict of interest – the conflict relating to X’s public life as a government official and X’s private life as a transportation mogul. The bus companies consummate their purchases of new buses from Y company hoping for future favorable concessions from X, consequently making Y Company very profitable and also X’s family correspondingly rich. This is corruption in its most scheming form. It is dishonesty.

        In matters involving public accountability, the private lives of government officials are not separable from their official public duties. They can be inquired into because their very honesty is a principal consideration for tenure. Thus, our Supreme Court said as early as 1960:

        The government cannot tolerate in its service a dishonest official, even if he performs his duties correctly and well, because by reason of his government position, he is given more and ample opportunity to commit acts of dishonesty against his fellow men, even against offices and entities of the government other than the office where he is employed; and by reason of his office, he enjoys and possesses a certain influence and power which renders the victims of his grave misconduct, oppression, and dishonesty less disposed and prepared to resist and to counteract his evil acts and actuations. The private life of an employee cannot be segregated from his public life. Dishonesty inevitably reflects on the fitness of the officer or employee to continue in office and the discipline and morale of the service. (Nera vs. Garcia G.R. No. L-13160 106 Phil 1031)

        As a result, under the Data Privacy Act of 2012, the private life of a government official, even if it is important in determining his or her honesty and capability, cannot easily be processed, collected, stored, used or disseminated as a general rule. Worse, penal sanctions can even be imposed for any violation of such privacy. This is one “existing law” which President Duterte’s EO on freedom of information is subordinated to. Significantly, the EO not only refers to “existing law” but also to “rules or regulations” which are still to be researched by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) and the Department of Justice (DOJ). Textually, it is a “layered” EO potentially subjected to further limitations and contingencies by other (to be discovered) issuances.

        For President Duterte’s EO to be effective, there is a need to amend, if not repeal, Republic Act 10173 otherwise known as the Data Privacy Act of 2012, in so far as government officials are concerned. This is the “existing law” that will effectively negate President Duterte’s move towards transparency. If the President’s policy and legal advisers will not see this, they will be doing the President a great disservice.

        I hate to think that this EO is only a window-dressing issued to satisfy the public’s desire for accessing information, but, in reality, a toothless “show-off” useless in effecting the citizen’s freedom of information.”

        • Thank you for taking the time.
          The reality is that it is not an, “Executive Order” but an, “Excretive Order”.
          How naive does Duterte believe the people are?

        • I think the question that needs to be asked is, “What additional information has this FOI Executive Order given us access to?”

      • And keep in mind that the EO on the supposed FOI covers employees of the Executive branch only – it does not apply to employees of the Legislative and Judicial branches of government.

  13. During the election, I kept asking “What crime wave? What all-consuming drug problem?” There is really no “drug problem”…however, there *are* many people who have problems who take drugs. For there to be any actual solution, it’s necessary to confront the problems (starting w/ poverty & un- or under-employment). Having a “War on Drugs” is an already antiquated idea…the war’s been over a long time now & drugs won. No nation in the world has *ever* been able to shoot or arrest its way out of a drug problem. But in the Philippines, it’s easy to make drugs (like everything else) into a moral issue. But the whole thing’s a show, a gimmick.

    This excellent article reminds me of a box in Raissa’s book about how Marcos prepared to take over as dictator:

    1. Control the military & police [like by boosting lower ranking officers w/ unquestioning personal loyalty into command positions & purging those who might question]

    2. Control the Supreme Court [a done deal…Noy’s term wasn’t long enough to “un-pack” the Court]

    3. Undermine the public’s faith in democracy [his whole campaign & his whole style of leadership to date]

    4. Exploit & abet lawlessness & instability [anybody taking bets on whether this is going on right now through a classic crony-style appointment process?]

    5. Exaggerate the Communist threat [since he’s *embraced* the Communists, this needs to be altered to “Criminalize dissent”]

    6. Get US backing [change “US” to “China”?]

    7. Hijack the Constitutional Convention [the *main* goal]

    For Duterte, the campaign still goes on, because cha-cha’s the real goal. (That’s not to say I’m real clear about what he plans to gain from it…there are some pretty nefarious theories out there, including a liberated hereditary “Kingdom of Duterte” in Mindanao.)

    I’m not opposed to cha-cha…there are *many* things about the Constitution that *need* revision. Some of them–like meaningful anti-dynasty regulation, FOI (especially about the bank accounts of gov’t officials) & so forth, that will *never* be passed as mere legislation. They’d have to be in the Constitution to meaningfully exist.

    But if the trend continues, his turncoat bandwagon will have the necessary 3/4 supermajority to rewrite the Constitution right there in Congress–& it’s a safe bet our shameless legislators *know* that. If we have a con-ass instead of a con-con, our next constitution will be written specifically to privilege congressional incumbents. (Quid pro quo for giving Du30 the federal system he so mysteriously longs for.)

    Exploiting inequality by agitating an already disaffected populist grassroots nationalism is a trick that’s being played all over the world. PCA Award complicates foreign affairs? Kill more drug users. Our country’s return to macroeconomic probation on the world stage? Kill more drug users. Pay raises for everybody in gov’t & SSS while crippling BIR’s ability to even *investigate* tax evasion? Kill more drug users. And by all means, keep saying outrageous things for the media to focus on. (And kill more…well, got a tattoo & wearing tsinelas? Close enough.)

    Word is, Noy left P1 trillion in the Treasury. It took Marcos *years* to set up authoritarian rule…looks like Duterte’s on a tighter schedule. He has to get his new constitution all set up before the money runs out. Sadly, the blood of the poor will be able to flow much longer than the money.

    • There can be no real war against illegal drugs, and drug use, unless both society and government address the root cause of the problem but that is another topic for discussion at some other time.

      And there can be no successful war against illegal drugs unless the effort is accompanied by drug rehabilitation consisting of counseling, psychological evaluation, and medical intervention. Fear of getting arrested, or even death, will not do it. (Ever heard of drug addicts committing suicide?)

      Take for example the problem of cigarette smoking. Most smokers know that they could eventually die from lung cancer but they remain to be in a state of denial and continue to smoke. Their nicotine addition is stronger than their fear of dying from lung cancer.

      So to claim that Duterte’s war against illegal drugs is successful on the basis of the claimed thousands and thousands of surrenderees who promised to stop their involvement with drugs and to reform, for fear of getting arrested or worse, give me a break.

      Without providing counseling, psychological evaluation, and medical intervention, is Duterte’s war against illegal drugs for real, or just plain government propaganda?

      real issues

      • Too true, too true, Yvonne…& models of those interventions are to be had the world over. But that would assume that solving the drug problem was Duterte’s real goal.

      • One thing about iLLegal drugs is HOW did those MACHINES for LABORATORY come into this country?

        Were these machines part of the exempted importation at the CUSTOMS BUREAU? Or smuggled somewhere?

        iLLegal drugs are cooked and baked. So, smuggling or importing lab machines is a factor also in iLLegal drug manufacturing.

        Palusotan and Lagayan are the norms via CORRUPTION. Check ’em UP.

        • anyone with basic knowledge of chemistry can cook up drugs, it’s like making bombs, you can find the recipe in the internet. the lab equipment is the same set up found in most colleges, parts can be bought in the internet too.

          ingredients used in making illegal drugs can be bought in pharmacies, a part of this and a part of that, mix them, or cook them together, and illegal drugs is produced.

          one can go from pharmacy to pharmacy and buy ingredients needed to make illegal drugs, if one is industrious enough. but a group can do better and easily cover a whole rounds of all the pharmacies in a matter of hours.

        • Secretary Aquirre said that 75% of illegal drug trade is done at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

          They must be keeping a very close watch and tight count to come up with the 75% figure.

          Go figure.

        • It is a public pronouncement, an orchestrated attempt to bury De Lima, me thinks.

      • There is yet no claim ‘Mission Accomplished !’ When the killings slows down to ZERO, maybe there will be such claim the war against iLLegal drugs is successful.

        We want to read a real DRUG LORDS who are out there are done and bone

        he he.

    • I could only weep for my country and at the same time watch the 16million who voted this wacko of a president. I feel ashamed to be a Filipino if what you wrote would come true. I really hope they don’t but the rate things are going, we are heading for that direction.

      • Don’t worry, the brakes and breaks will come that we will not be heading for that direction.

        he he

        • stop in the name of love, before you break my heart, kanta yan ng supremes by lead singer diana ross.

          yes, brakes will be applied. all those 16millions voters had to do is say – stop! and it will stop.

          they have to appeal to digong to stop the killing, make a motion for reconsideration to stop the killing, talk to digong on sona dahil parang talk show daw ang sona. stop in the name of love, before you break my heart . . .

  14. nuances or mere musings?

    small time drug trafickers can’t afford a Protection Racket. their handlers and suppliers can. when the going gets rough, drug traffickers are summary executed to protect their handlers, suppliers along with their protectors.

    ‘low life’, small time traffickers have no political protections or connections from rogue ‘law enforcers’. is pphilippines now a Police State or Narco State? (due to government officials often being bribed by traffickers to ignore the illegal trade.)

    ———————

    1. Is there a conflict of roles or interests between Branches of Gov’t? Separation of powers institutions of government into three branches: legislative, executive and judicial. The legislature makes the laws; the executive put the laws into operation; and the judiciary interprets the laws. The doctrine of the separation of powers is often assumed to be one of the cornerstones of fair government.

    A Lawyer (active Officer of the Court of Justice, Judicial Branch), a former Gov’t Prosecutor, now serving the Executive Branch President.

    2. Is digong a Narco Terminator? himself an officer of the court (lawyer, Judicial Branch/Dept), now the President (Executive Branch/Dept) campaigned openly to be Judge, Jury and Executioner to anyone in the supply of illicit drug trade. openly encourages police enforcers and citizens to also act as vigilantes who they believe are drug traffickers. has digong caught or his vigilantes killed a big time illegal drugs manufacturer?

    3. The President-elect said that most addicts, who had been in rehabilitation for six months to a year, could no longer be helped since their brains had shrunk from illegal drug use.

    “Ang unang mawala dinha ang cognitive. Mokalit ug istorya, murag boang kay wala na lagi. (The first to be gone is the cognitive. They talk suddenly like crazy persons because their cognitive sense is gone.) No sense,” he said.

    ‘Duterte wants death for drug addicts’, newsinfo inquirer net/792554/duterte-wants-death-for-drug-addicts

    digong calls to kill even drug users, not only trafickers, www dailymail co uk/news/article-3691692/Drug-addicts-Philippines-surrender-authorities-president-Rodrigo-Duterte-urges-citizens-ahead-kill-drug-users-dealers.html

    4. is the Judicial Branch of the Phils. complicit to extra-justicial practices perpetrated by an Officer of the Court? turning a blind-eye because he is currently The President?

    5. A lawyer is first and foremost an officer of the court. Thus, while he owes his entire devotion to the interest and causes of his client he must ensure that he acts within the bounds of reason and common sense, always aware that he is an instrument of truth and justice. More importantly, as an officer of the court and its indispensable partner in the sacred task of administering justice, graver responsibility is imposed upon a lawyer than any other to uphold the integrity of the courts[16] and to show respect to its processes. Thus, any act on his part which tends visibly to obstruct, pervert or impede and degrade the administration of justice constitutes professional misconduct calling for the exercise of disciplinary action against him.[17]

    – sc judiciary gov ph/jurisprudence/2005/dec2005/ac_6589.htm

    Canon 1, Rule 1.01[2] of the Code of Professional Responsibility

    – sc judiciary gov ph/jurisprudence/2007/april2007/P-06-2177.htm

    – www chanrobles com/codeofprofessionalresponsibility.html

    • correction

      ‘low life’, small time traffickers street drug pushers, low level middle men (cell handlers)

      • as regard no.3 above, digong is pretending to be doctor. he should have let ubial, new health sec, talk about drug addiction and how addicts can be rehabilitated.

        shrunken brain? zika virus does that and kids end up with microcephaly. same with people with alzhiemers, part of their brain shrivel. and yet, their family still love them.

        lose of cognitive? I think, digong could mean loss of inhibition like he does sometimes, biglang nanipol, at biglang kumanta,at bigla ring nanghalik sa mga hindi kakilala.

    • iLLegal drug distributors and users got their counter-part now. . . a pshrink!

      ha ha ha

      • a pshrink that got his wires crossed, can’t tell the difference between cognitive loss and loss of inhibition. between the mentally disturbed and the drug addicted.

        how could they have cognitive loss when they still know how to go home? they can still tell the time of day, what year it is, and who is the current president. show them a picture of digong and without batting their eyes, they’d say it’s digong! the killing president. dyos na mahabagin.