A welcome move
THE Philippines, a Southeast Asian nation of more than 110 million people, is a long way from wiping out the illegal drug problem.
But in fighting the drug menace, the leadership of the 232,000-strong Philippine National Police (PNP) “will always go for the rule of law.”
In his first command conference as PNP chief, Gen. Rommel Francisco D.Marbil vowed to continue the crackdown on drug syndicates.
However, Marbil was quick to emphasize that he did not want his anti-drug campaign to be associated with the bloody war that marked previous police operations.
In the view of many, including the ordinary citizens across the country, this is in line with President Marcos’ policy of shifting the focus to rehabilitating the drug users.
In fact, the Marcos government wants to establish more drug rehabilitation centers.
Many Filipinos consider ordinary drug dependents, who are mostly youngsters, as victims of the country’s powerful drug lords.
At the same time, Marbil refused to call the campaign as a “drug war,” explaining that “it connotes that we are at war again.”
And it is to the credit of well-meaning Filipinos that they waste no time in helping concerned authorities in addressing the drug problem.
Indeed, it is only just, right and proper for the people to support government efforts to rid the country of prohibited drugs and addicts.
Pero puwedeng-puwede pang magbagong buhay ang isang drug dependent sa tulong ng gobyerno at taumbayan.
