My 15-year-old son Michael was walking home one late afternoon recently when a stranger hassled him about the receipt of a snack he purchased. This man then coerced my son to “see the manager”, then proceeded to take his phone “as payment” for the supposedly “unpaid snacks.” This conman was unarmed, yet my son was so shaken by the experience, that he had difficulty sleeping the next few days. As a father, I felt lucky that most of these con artists steal, but do not kill, and my son was unharmed. But at the same time, as a law-abiding citizen, I am outraged. I was once a victim of armed holdup. So were my sister, a cousin, and several friends. And I’m sure we all know someone who’s been a victim of robbery, rape, or murder. This was a crime by a sober man with intent to steal, but not to kill.
Criminal acts had been reduced under this President’s watch because of the fear of being killed while committing crimes under the influence of drugs. If we read the papers, while criminals are also innovating with their new scams, drug-related heinous crimes have decreased.
Why is the President’s all out war against drugs and criminality so important? The President said it in Davao, during his campaign and when he became the President. He aims to protect this and the next generation against criminality. Past Presidents never made the war against drugs personal, but President Duterte did. Not only did the President threaten dug users, he warned, arrested and killed drug users and distributors in the first weeks and months.
I agree with former Press Secretary Rigoberto Tiglao when he said: “I’ve reviewed all of Aquino’s six State of the Nation Addresses (SONAs), and it is shocking that in all of these, he had not even mentioned that we have a serious illegal drug problem, as if he were deliberately concealing its existence.” Indeed, the past administration did very little in the fight against drugs.
In a report by Seacliff Recovery Center, drug abuse often causes poverty. People addicted to drugs quickly lose or have a hard time holding down jobs. When someone is so controlled by drug addiction, nothing else matters, and the person can easily slip into poverty and a life of crime. President Duterte has repeatedly said this in almost all his speeches before and after his Presidency. The result reported by ABS-CBN cited a 13% drop in crimes.
As a National Security practitioner doing research, I can say that the most heinous crime committed by a sober individual is theft. However, it is when these thieves are under the influence of illegal drugs that heinous crimes, such as murder and rape of children and elderly are committed. We see, read, hear, and experience it everyday. But these incidents have been reduced in my community. I feel it. And hopefully, you can feel that change too.
We all know that Davao City has been ranked as the 4th Safest City in the World and the only city in the Philippines with a fully-operational 911 Emergency Response Unit. As Mayor of Davao City, he must be doing something right. I wonder what it would be like walking down the streets in Davao compared to Manila. I am a Manileño, who grew up, and studied in Manila. I have always lived in fear, always looking behind my back, cautious of the shirtless drivers of pedicabs and tricycles openly drinking along the streets.
Come to think of it, it is the non-voting teenagers that are the beneficiaries of the Presidents’ war against drugs, corruption and criminality. How many non-voting teenagers feel safer on the streets? In 5 years, these teenagers would see how the President has made their respective barangay, city, region, and country a little safer and better. Not too long from now, in the near future, I will join the ranks of senior citizens. But I am sure, my children and grandchildren would sleep better knowing the President has laid the foundation for making the country a safer place. I hope you do too.
Dr. Paul Chua is an advocate of peace and security. He took “Essentials of Policy Development” at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore; “Strategic Management of Regulatory and Enforcement Agencies” at Harvard Kennedy School; and “Leadership and Management for Integrity” at Central European University.
Originally published by The Manila Times on June 1, 2017.
View the original publication at The Manila Times ↗