Is winning Duterte’s War on Drugs mission impossible?

duterte_war_on_drugs

Everyone loves the Mission Impossible franchise. That’s because the best stories are about people who’ve hurdled the seemingly impossible, stared down the intractable, and succeeded against all odds. It is the reason that Star Wars fans find that over-used battle ending where proton torpedoes are used to hit a target that is “only two meters wide” (in Episide IV) to destroy a planet-sized Imperial weapon so deeply satisfying. Whenever Batman laments “We’ve got one chance, Robin!” whenever he and his charge find themselves in a sticky situation, we hang on to our seats waiting for the anticipated happy ending.

The Philippines’ War on Drugs is an impossible mission. A certain Robert Francis Garcia says so

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Studies worldwide have clearly established that a “war on drugs” can never be won. War is simply not the effective approach.

But how is this war different from all the other “impossible” missions the Philippines faces? None of these impossible wars have been won — not the war on poverty, not the war on corruption, and certainly not the war on ignorance, among other challenges. Even implementing a half-decent public transportation system seems to be impossible in the Philippines. And yet, succeeding in all these “impossible” tasks is an essential prerequisite to seeing a Philippines go from Third World to First World — the same way Singapore did. The facts are simple. If the Philippines remains home to a poor, corrupt, ignorant, and immobile society, it will not progress.

Those are all clichés. But it is precisely why they are clichés that made them the truisms so deeply-etched into peoples’ psyches. More importantly, them being clichés doesn’t change the simple fact that they are challenges that need to be surmounted.

Perhaps it is time that Filipinos start adding the phrase “by whatever means necessary” to that call to action. Over the last 30 years since the 1986 people power “revolution”, Filipinos believed that their “restored” democracy would be the be-all-end-all solution to poverty, corruption, ignorance, and crime. Yet after 30 years, no amount of “democracy” could change the Philippines. The country, despite its “freedom” remains essentially the same — ruled by a thieving oligarchy repeatedly voted into office by ignorant voters. Worse, Filipinos feel less safe and less secure — internally cowed by crime and externally pressured by a hostile foreign power.

Rightly or wrongly, this is the reason why Filipinos embraced an outlier president from Davao and his law-and-order-west-of-the-Pecos style of combatting crime. The simple truth is that the extremist brand of bleeding-heart liberalism that traditional post-1986 politicians espoused and the foggy notions of “human rights” they perverted to its cause no longer fly with Filipinos. Filipinos have had enough with giving suspected crooks the benefit of the doubt in an ivory tower conceived system that is seen to consistently fail ordinary citizens. In short, liberals have none other to blame but themselves. They had, over the last 30 years, turned the character of Philippine society into one akin to an emotional basketcase — perenially starved for affection, addicted to celebrity validation, dependent on divine intervention, always on the lookout for a hero to deliver salvation, and suffering from a wholesale lack of perspective.

Emotional basketcases are the types who prefer to stew in their misery rather than jump out of bed and face the world with eyes wide open. If Filipinos were to do just that and look at their situation wide-eyed, they will behold the results of three decades of doing the same thing over and over again whilst expecting different results. Many of the problems that crush the Philippines’ hopes of becoming a better nation someday were caused by the flawed thinking that more freedom and more softly-softly approaches will make things better.

That, quite simply, did not happen. And we are now here at a crossroads — where the wise saying of Albert Einstein comes with more relevance than ever: that you cannot solve problems using the same thinking that created them.

One concludes that 30 years of bleeding-heart thinking created the inutile nation that is the Philippines today at the risk of falling into a post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy. But it is quite clear that 30 years of no results emotionalism pretty much debunked the notion that 20 years of dictatorship is what “caused Philippine poverty”. The Philippines has now been in a “restored” democracy far longer than those two decades of “dark ages” under former President Ferdinand Marcos that Filipinos were led to believe was the singular contributor to the country’s failure to prosper.

It’s high time Filipinos learn that their poverty has nothing to do with politics and nothing to do with leadership. Just as the Filipino-Chinese community prospered under both a “dictatorship” and a “restored democracy” Filipinos in the same way, remained impoverished in both repression and freedom. It is in this frame that, we are told, fighting a “War on Drugs” is an impossible mission.

It is not.

We only perceive it as such because of the mistaken belief that politics matter to the ordinary Filipino.

It doesn’t.

Politics matter only to those who have a lot to lose — those who invested billions in the Liberal Party’s failed attempt to hang on to power, and those who’ve bet equal sums on seeing the government of Rodrigo Duterte fail.

But to the average Filipino, the only thing that matters is that crime be stopped and the lives of their loved ones be made safer. Seen from that perspective, no mission to achieve that can be regarded as impossible. Only when we begin to see the mission for what it is — one that must succeed — will we appreciate the pettiness of the politics of the “debate” that surround it and the small mindedness that paint it as “impossible”.

47 Replies to “Is winning Duterte’s War on Drugs mission impossible?”

  1. I used to be a 2-pack a day smoker for over 20 years and never intended to stop till I met a lady who told me she tried to quit using acupuncture, so I tried it and it worked for me.
    Smoking has killed millions over the years but is very hard to quit, but acupuncture certainly helped me.
    and, in Australia, in 1986, through Dr Gaal in Adelaide, I put it through Medicare, at no cost.

  2. This is a though-provoking article. A must-read. Impossibility happens when someone stuck to an old-psyche of “I can’t” on the any fight. We can win if we choose to. Only on a different approach, different thinking, on different paradigm and an unorthodox method/style. Just believe and never give up fighting a good fight. We can win truly.

    1. If you think about it, every aspiration is impossible until such time as you’d (1) taken the trouble to think the challenge through and (2) taken the steps to overcome it. Both tasks take hard work. Filipinos have never been renowned in the thinking department, so just on step one alone, it’s really not surprising that results come far in between (if at all).

      Funny enough, Filipinos are renowned for being prayerful. Unfortunately, prayers have a spotty track record as far as delivering results go. On that alone, there is lots of room to explore not only different ways of doing things but also different ways one would use their minds. Should Filipinos spend more time thinking and less time praying? Those are some of the hard questions Filipinos need to ask themselves.

      1. As a people our prayers are ritualistic and cultic, rather than Bible based. Prayers based on God’s word provide the answers and results if teaching: moral codes, laws, social justice, governance, history, prophecy etc. in accordance with the Bible. The Catholic Church on the other hand has made us depended on miraculous prayers, hence “Oratio Imperata,”

        So why is the RP in crisis, why are we a spiritually and intellectually lost people? First know that of Israel’s enemies worse even than the Philistines, are the devious Amalekites known for sowing corruption, deceiving Gods people by supporting unworthy leaders to highest positions so the nation became vulnerable and foolish, like what happened to the RP. And who, WHO, are these Amalakites today? You may or may not be surprised to know their descendants are the nations of China.

        Pls. Read China (Gog & Magog) in Prophecy :
        http://www.discoveringislam.org/china_gog_magog.htm

        Yes, if the Jews are Gods Chosen people, the Chinese (Amalakites) are Satans chosen race. In the Philippines they have expertly corrupted our politics with campaign bribes, monopolized and manipulated business, poison our peoples bodies and minds with meth and media, defile our Faith in God with Chinese superstition, astrology and pagan idol festivals. The word Amalek means “to lick” or to “salivate,” and if there is one thing the Chinese people are known for, it is spitting in public.

        They plot and schemed in secret societies, spy networks and crime syndicates to take over the world. Truly there are some righteous Chinese, but as a nation they are fascistic Asian Hitlers & Nazis. China is Gog & Magog of the Anti-Christ Army. In fact till today Chinese themselves call the Great Wall of China, “the Ramparts (Wall) of Gog.

        The above link website also prophesied the Philippines and the Asean, described as the young lions in the Bible (Asean Tigers?), that will object to Red China’s invasion of the U.S. and the allied English speaking nations (as punishment because it has became a Godless perverted nation) and much more during these the end times, repent for judgement is near.

        YHWH blessings be upon all who heed his warning.

        1. Why is the rp in crisis?
          Your brightest leave.
          Leaving behind mostly dribs and drabs.
          Im not saying all that are left are brain dead but there is a mass exodus of intelligent people leaving a brain drained community behind.

          As far as crisis also.
          From the data i have seen, the real reason crime is up is pnps failure to catch anyone.
          The last two years, the sucessful apprehension of criminals is more than 3/4s less then previous years.
          Is this the work of and under paid, under manned and under financed police force…..maybe.
          Or are many corrupt.
          I was watching vice not long ago and there was a retired cop from the pnp saying that, in his experience, 80% of the police force were corrupt and involved in the crime syndicates and drug trade.
          Now this is from a retired policeman so its not factual evidence but what rings more true?

          I think its a mix of both.

          By the way. Nothing really is impossible.
          Just some actions make the intended outcome improbable.
          Why try a failed tactic which has failed in every country that has implemented it?
          Why not try the tactics that have worked in other countries.
          I know for a fact if u give people the chance and the right incentive here( plus lots of pays on the backs, i mean constantly so they feel appreciated) even the least educated can surprise you.

  3. there will always be people that want to take drugs. The drug war in the USA is proof positive that throwing people in jail has no effect in eradicateing the wants of people to take drugs,it also takes huge amounts of tax revenues.This money is money that could be used in more productive ways than incarcerating people.

      1. How is being honest being a weakling?
        It takes a hell of a lot more strength of character to forgive then it does to hate.
        Takes a bigger man to admit he is wrong too.

        How is caring about people confused with being weak.?
        The true weakling is the ones that are ruled by their fear.

    1. Finally spilled the beans there bro.

      Here’s another “legalize brain-melting drugs” advocate. Yeah, let’s legalize drugs, give all the OFW-remittance-waiting lazy bones cheap affordable access and turn half the population into useless brain-dead walking zombies.

      Better shape up pal, unless you want to have people here starting to call you “Tell it ASS it is”.

      1. Marijuana does not melt brains.
        It fires up new receptors and pathways within the brain.

        There is zero evidence what u think will happen is true in any country that has legalized marijuana.
        Actually their crime rates are down and their productivity are at all time highs( pun totally intended).
        So let me just get thise right…you are pro murdering drug addicts but against people to have freedom to do what they want with their own bodies and on their own time?

        These arguments are what fuled the 80 year long war on drugs. They have been proven fear based and not fact based.
        Most drug users i know are high functioning members of society.
        They, just like those that drink, enjoy these substances on their off time.
        In reality, only a very small percentage become addicted to substances.
        The same percentage that gets addicted to alcohol and gambling.
        So 90% of people have to suffer for the 10% that can not control their urges?
        Yeah..sounds counter productive to me.
        You love your movies zaxx…u ever wonder how many of those actors u love are on illegal drugs? Answer is most of them

        1. The drugs of choice for the underclass shabu and glue .. because they’re cheap. Not Marijuana. It exists – I hear some politicians and police chiefs grow the stuff in the mountains as a recreational hobby, as it were; but the consumers are rich kids.

          And what does it matter what happens “where I come from?”. If you hadn’t noticed, there are very few “high-functioning members of society” here, drug-takers or otherwise. One of the reasons there IS no marijuana here (or very little) is that it takes time, effort, investment and knowledge to grow it. Filipinos are hopeless at growing things anyway; they’re certainly not going to waste precious drinking time on a crop that takes so much effort.

        2. All the ” high functioning members of society” i know are from the philippines marius.
          What nationality do u think i am?

        3. Many talented movie actors/singers have managed to excel in their craft despite the drugs. In fact many of them have died prematurely and ruined their faces/bodies using it.

          What? Drugs do not make you productive. I have been very productive without getting HIGH on these things.

          Why are you even trying to justify all this? It doesn’t work for Asians. Singapore and Japan are our role models of a clean, orderly and productive society. Look at what they have become through discipline.

          Meanwhile the US is going downhill with all their legalizing BS – next, after gay marriage, they’ll legalize fucking with one’s dog.

          But I agree, removing laws/restrictions will reduce crime. Sure, if you want a one-way ticket to anarchy.

          Sin came into the world because of the law. Feel free to read the book of Romance; you might just stumble across the Roman’s Road to Life.

  4. Should Filipinos spend more time thinking and less time praying?

    For an ordinary Feelippino, thinking big is a tall order while praying for small crumbs of blessings to fall from the table of the sitting gods is much easier to do.

    Our history showed that the people and this nation had always been the tail being wagged whether we like it or not.

    The past and new generations learned in history about how we were colonized, subdued and brainwashed to accept the conquerors ideals whose aim was to also obliterate the nationalist fervor of those who are separatists.

    Now, there is no nationalism left in our hearts which should have spur us to protect and assist our countryman first. What we have in our midst are the new colonizers, the oligarchs with their minions that are happy to share to us the crumbs of their spoils.

    I think it about time to educate again our kababayans with a pure unadulterated Filipino education. They need to develop a Filipino way of critical thinking in terms of personal progress and identity. They need to tear down their altars of superstitious beliefs and hypocrisy to prepare the minds of the young that we are not a pathetic people but have definite goals of goodness and distinct dignity that we can truly call our own.
    If our hearts and minds are really tuned in for better changes coupled with actions then our prayers must follow that with intense.

      1. If talk is cheap, then being silent is expensive. And many Failipinos, including TheVoiceofReason, it seems, can’t afford to buy into it.

  5. Peace Through Vigilance! If We Want Peace Prepare for War! In desperate times there’s nothing wrong with being Machiavellian. We are told, “The End will justify the Means”!

    The only issue, however, short of the outright hypocrisy, is the disparity within the way this so called war is being waged!

    While surrendering high public officials and other high private personalities, who are drugs-implicated and tagged by the government, are being given the chance to clear their names, have press conferences, have an audience with the President (when the “I will kill you” changes to “help us help you clear your name”!) and even one being cuddled in the “PNP White House” of General Bato himself, the unfortunate others – the dirty unwashed public enemies in worn-out shirts, in slippers, said to have fought back with the authorities (while in handcuffs or even sleeping at the time), with the rusty .38s as a weapon of choice and operated on without warrants fall one by one hog-tied, with fucking tape, lifeless, nameless (no opportunity to clear theirs!)…

    We have yet to see the authorities target cases of Party Drug Users in rave parties, in posh villages and clubs. Drugs as being identified as a Big Time Business of Rich Drug Lords don’t linger in SLUMS so I’m sure some of you are wondering…why the police are concentrating in the petty and the small?

    And clearly what we have here is the selective and inconsistent nature with which this adventure is being upheld in one hand, while on the other, the seemingly adverse iniquity, virtually ignored by the critical thinking species of the planet!

    Despite of, Duterte, being the anti-oligarch president, the progressive leader is also not one who is without issues, especially with his mouth! And we ought to let him know!

  6. Duterte’s War on Drugs is not “mission impossible” as long as he gets the armed forces and law enforcement on his side with better pay and working conditions.

    The primary reason these military and law enforcement personnel become “privateers” or “hired guns” for corrupt politicians and businessmen, as well as organized crime in the first place, is because their own government has abandoned them for selfish reasons in the last 30 years.

    It’s time to turn the tide on the degradation of our armed forces and law enforcement personnel, to regain their loyalty and protection, by taking care of them and their families’ needs.

  7. DUTERTE’S WAR ON DRUGS IS NOT A MISSION IMPOSSIBLE ‘CUZ THE CITIZENS IS BEHIND HIM ON THAT. HE CAN DECLARE MARTIAL LAW ANYTIME HE WANTS AND THE PEOPLE WILL CHEER HIM FOR THAT. MARTIAL LAW/PEOPLE POWER IS THE ONLY SOLUTION FOR A CHANGE NOTHING ELSE.

    1. So a call for martial law?
      Do u know what that even meabs for the people?
      How has martial law worked out in the past?

      How has it worked out for citizens in any country?
      No one looks fondly back on martial law.
      You do not care about the citizens here and you obviously are psychotic if you think the philippines needs or wants another blood thirsty tyrant.

      Oh and less than half the population are with him….a lot less.
      The people are luckily not as brain dead as you.

      1. Seems you are triggered when someone mentions ‘Martial law’. What’s your problem?

        In the Philippines, it’s more of a mixed bag (it was lifted in 1981). How has your so-called ‘democracy’ worked out over 30 years after?

        You do not care about the citizens here and you obviously are psychotic if you think the philippines needs or wants another blood thirsty tyrant

        Says the troll who keeps on saying that Singapore is a ‘police state with little freedoms’ w/o even realizing the fact that they cared for their own citizens by instilling discipline and responsibility. People who embrace mediocrity and loves to play the victim card are obviously more psychotic than you are trying to point against.

        Like I said, people are brain dead… after 1986. Don’t forget it.

      2. @TheVoiceofReason,

        Your voice is no longer being heard and your reason is no longer valid. So, just shut the fuck up already and let the new president do what he has to do to un-fuck the country, from 30 years of bad ruling from the Yellow Party.

        Aeta

        1. Firstly Manon, if you honestly thinm a narrassitic and brutal thug like duterte should declare martial law then you have seriously not thought it through.

          @aeta…shut the fuck up?
          U think duterte is going to inscrew the county?
          You think installing fear into our children, creating a governement that produce death is unfucking the country?
          You think a president that threatens and alienates foreign ambassadors or jokes about a rape victim is good for this country?

          You think a president that dos not get his own way and threatens martial law with every turn is good for this country?
          You think a president that has zero long term game plans other than” kill them all” and ” do what i say and believe what i say because i said it” ,
          is good for any country?
          No my voice is for those to affraid to talk up.
          My voice is for the 50 million filipino that did not vote duterte.
          Many of us are aware of what is happening and are shaking our heads in disbelief, wondering just how low as the philippines society sunk that citizens, no matter how vocal but small in number, think blood lust and deathis ok for their fellow man.

        2. @TheVoiceofReason:

          Nice red herring, son.

          Unfortunately, everything you’ve said came from the questionable biased media who have their own agendas. And the 50 million people who did not vote for Duterte are mostly those who are unregistered or never didn’t give a damn or even voted for other candidates, especially the guy who is second place. Oh, don’t tell me that an incompetent buffoon like Mar Roxas is more capable than Duterte? Meh, you just want the same shit over and over again. Be honest…

          Many of us are aware of what is happening and are shaking our heads in disbelief, wondering just how low as the philippines society sunk that citizens, no matter how vocal but small in number, think blood lust and deathis ok for their fellow man.

          Weak argument. In case you don’t notice, that kind of thinking exists long before Duterte came. There are EJKs exist back then, and no one, even you, bat an eye. But when Duterte took over the presidency, you and your fellow ilk are losing your minds.

        3. MAnon. What biased media is that?

          So duterte did not just threaten( joked according to dutertards) to bring martial law if he is impeded on his wants.

          At what point have i ever said roxas was a good canditate?
          I would have voted for miram if she was not ill.

          There was crime before drugs too.
          Thing is though. We have had more ejk in a month then we used to have an entire year.
          Stop defending an undefendable position.

          Your lies and attempt to manipulate my words and even make up my political views by suggesting i am a yellow supporter is such an incompetent and childish and typical fanatical meesiah worshipping tactic.
          Try something new.

          I was postive about the presidency until he showed his true colors.
          His mouth and last century views and opinions are not progressive and are down right irresponsible, immoral, sexist, racist and narcissistic.
          I do not need biased media to show me plain as day what you turn a blind eye too.
          I gave Dutetre his chance.
          In all honesty how much more do u guys have to cover up, lie to yourselves and to everyone else until you tell the truth what he is.

          When will you wake up?
          When its to late…….

        4. @VoiceOfKEK

          You are still up with your own assumptions that anybody is disgreeing with you is worshiping Duterte and such. What he is trying to say is that there are EJKs back then yet it seems you and your fellow ilk are not even vocal of it. Only now where Duterte took office. Why is that?

          Lies? Priorities, please. You take any report from any biased media outlet as ‘fact’ and you believe in it. When you ask that question, it tells me that you’re apparently clueless.

          If someone should wake up, it’s you, son. Of course, you won’t admit it since you’re troll who spamming on this site. Nothing more. I’m looking forward for your comments to be DELETED because of this.

  8. There is no such thing as Killing Drug Menace as long as there are user and drug trafficking. It time to overhaul our judicial system since Drug proliferation and flawed justice system and corruption is a recipe for disaster. And before this could be done he needs to expose this cancer of society before We can start Nation Building.

  9. Any war can be won, if you use good strategy and tactic. The War on illegal Drugs, is really a hard war. It is like fighting a multi headed Hydra monster.

    However, if you squeeze tightly the source; and squeeze tightly the consumers. The War can be won. Bring back the Death Penalty on those who Traffic on illegal Drugs. Death Penalty also, to those who manufacture illegal Drugs. Destroy the Chinese Triad Drug Mafia, foothold in the Philippines. Implement the death penalty on those incarcerated Drug Lords, and Shabu Chemists! Prosecute all those, who have connection with Drug Trafficking !

    If there are no sources; there will be no consumers.

    We don’t want a nation of addicts. We want a nation of productive citizens ! We want the younger generation, to be Shabu free !

    1. Once Duterte gets the Chinese money and influence (legal or illegal) out of the Philippines, he would have solved more than half of the country’s problems. One of the “Bamboo Network” tactics is to create chaos, so it can create opportunities for those who understand the rules of war—which has no rules.

      “The whole secret lies in confusing the enemy, so that he cannot fathom our real intent.” Sun Tzu (The Art of War).

      1. A few of my friends here are chinese and half ( chinoy).
        Do you think Duterte should get rid of them too?

        dictarors and psychotic lemings have been pointing the finger to ethnic groups through out the centuries blamming them for their problems.

        Ill admit the filipinos are confused, but that was not china’s doing.
        That was our own.

        1. He’s referring to the Chinese-Filipino businessmen who are part of the oligarchy. Actually, only a simpleton would accuse others with names like ‘psychotic lemmings’, etc. while refusing to see the bigger picture.

        2. TheVoiceofReason,

          Get the fuck out of town….

          “A few of my friends here are chinese and half ( chinoy). Do you think Duterte should get rid of them too?”

          You have as much common sense as the things you say.

          Duterte can’t get rid of these “Chinoy,” but he definitely needs to put them in check on how they conduct themselves in the country—especially when it comes to fair business and employment practices.

          Aeta

        3. So you think half filipino people need to be put in check..?
          Almost every single person i know is mix raced.
          Almost the entire population is from either spanish, chinese, or malaysian decent.

          The bigger picture is definetly not accusing members of your own country and singling them out to be treated different or accuse them of wrong doing when 50% of the business’s and the jobs that go with them in this country are from chinoy employers.

          Everyone i knows pays the correct salary and are great people to work for.
          There is only a very small percentage of chinese employers that do not.
          People point fingers here at people that do well like they are cutting corners or u der paying staff, instead they have great work ethic, only keep staff that actually work and run their business’s well.
          Your racist views and bigotry are holding you back from the bigger picture.
          Most of these people i know have been here for many generations.
          Born here, have children here and pay their taxes.
          Who are you to point the finger at your fellow man or woman.

          Hate is all that drives you. Do you cheer on every time when of your fellow citizens is found dead and bloody with a roll of tape around their heads?

        4. TheVoiceofReason,

          I think your brain needs to be put in check. You keep making mountains out of anthills with what I said.

          Aeta

    2. “If there are no sources; there will be no consumers.”

      Will it be harder for the President and the General to wage their war against drugs in this manner? Killing the source from above (wealthy drug lords) instead of killing more down below (miserable drug users). To minimize at least the one-sided killings.

      Kit Tatad, in his column, wrote about the “kill quota”:

      “The most disturbing aspect of this war is the information from some police sources, who cannot openly reveal it without risking their very lives or at least their careers, that their bosses–perhaps unknown to the President–have given them a “kill quota” per week or per month.”

      “This quota system makes it all the more perilous for an individual, wittingly or unwittingly, to become a suspect in the eyes of the law enforcers. Many will fall not because they look like a duck, or walk like a duck, but just because the duck-hunter must meet his assigned number.”

      http://www.manilatimes.net/win-on-drugs-but-dont-get-slammed-on-human-rights/277977/

  10. As an expat living here in the Ph what I would like to know is why couldnt president Duterte call for a clean up operation on corruption first? Why drugs over other problems? When we all know drugs are a sub set of corruption as the police, judges and politicians all are in drug lords pockets. War on drugs will only solve the problem partially. If he is the man claims to be and really wants to help his country his focus should be on fighting the corruption before anything else. And later he can wage a war on traffic and then perhaps on drugs.

    According to his own figures there are around 600,000 drug addicts, pushers, and users in the Philippines. That is less than 1% of your country’s population. I think around 100% of the people have been impacted by corruption. So why not tackle that first.

    Otherwise all this is just song and dance and part of the usual show … that is do as little as possible while making the most noise.

    1. NMC,

      “As an expat living here in the Ph what I would like to know is why couldnt president Duterte call for a clean up operation on corruption first?”

      It’s not that easy. Corruption is endemic in the Philippines and the network is too intricate to nitpick on who’s corrupt and who’s not. Duterte is fighting an uphill battle against a powerful political and economic dynasties that have already deeply-entrenched and allied themselves.

      “Why drugs over other problems? When we all know drugs are a sub set of corruption as the police, judges and politicians all are in drug lords pockets.” You’ve answered your own question on “why couldnt president Duterte call for a clean up operation on corruption first?”

      It’s a day-by-day process for Duterte to win this “War on Drugs.” He’s an outside (a David against a Goliath) and the only thing he can do is at this time is to win the hearts and minds of the people—especially the allegiance of the armed forces and law enforcement—which is exactly what he’s doing now.

      Once he gets the support of these two powerful government agencies on his side, it would be much easier to tackle the graft and corruption at the higher levels of government and commercial entities.

      “According to his own figures there are around 600,000 drug addicts, pushers, and users in the Philippines. That is less than 1% of your country’s population. I think around 100% of the people have been impacted by corruption. So why not tackle that first.”

      This is much easier said than done and everyone knows it. Therefore, Duterte is fighting a guerrilla sort of warfare, by eliminating pushers and addicts, while winning the support of the masses who are deeply affected by the day-to-day scourges of the drug trade.

      This “War on Drugs” is going to take some time; but, with consistency from Duterte’s administration and growing support from the masses, he’ll eventually win it.

      Aeta

    2. NMC he has one tool in his box and it is a hammer.

      Corruption is not hard to tackle at all.
      A poorly thought out ” war on drugs” is his only tool. He thinks what worked in davao( allegedly as its the third highest murder rate in the philippines and reporters have learnt the hard way to only promote it in a positive light) will work nationally.
      There is no long term plain.
      These people think he is winnng the hearts and minds of the army and police to fight corruption. He is doing it so he can install martial law, disban congress and another dark long night will be ahead for the rp.
      Corruption is endemc not within the government but within the entire culture.
      The war on drugs will not solve anything and instead will open up new problems where vigilantee style murders will become common place.

      1. TheVoiceofReason,

        Check your underwear. I think you’ve just shitted on it. I can’t wait for you to pull out your Bible and start thumping verses from it to support your fairy-tale solutions for the problems of this country.

        Aeta

        1. I live in reality, not fantasy.
          That goes for all make believe, man made gods.

          Mark my words aeta.
          May you remember them in the future and realize which one of us was right.
          I hope im wrong but i have lived long enough and seen enough to see which way we are heading.
          Problem with most people today is they ignore history then repeat the mistakes of our history then turn around and claim no one warned them.
          Ignorance is bliss but having ignorant opinions is another, not so polite phrase entirely.

        2. TheVoiceofReason,

          I’ve been around in this world long enough to know what bullshits and delusions are. I have yet to decide which of those labels I’m going to tag you with. You keep living in that version of reality of yours and, before you know it, you’re going to be all alone talking to yourself. I’m already seeing patterns of it from your unrealistic comments.

          Aeta

        3. What pattern is that princess?

          The one where is stand up for what right and wrong?
          The one where i repeat over and over the gains do not justify the means?
          The one where i say over and over again we are no different to other humans and we keep saying we are to excuse our incompetent and lazy nature?
          The one where i admit i do not know everything but link articles to back uo what im saying.,
          Or just the opinion that is totally different to yours therefore i must be delusional or full of shit?
          I have been around long enough that your beliefs and opinions do not bother me.
          They are yours to have.
          But if they start effecting me and my life….well thats a different matter.
          Problem with us that know better, it usually takes a whole generation to catch up.
          If you do the right thing and respect other people, we are cool.
          But you just curse and call me names…..pretty great discussion from your end huh?

        4. TheVoiceofReason,

          That’s fine, Nostra-Dumbass. I’m going to leave you for now and your doomsday prophesies about the future of the Philippines–especially if we don’t heed your warnings (“mark my words aeta”). I’m going to bed.

          Aeta

  11. correct! mahatma gandhi is right. an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. ‘BLIND TO COMMIT HEINOUS CRIMES’ so, death penalty is the solution.

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