Drugs and Crimes During the Dark Ages of PNoy Presidency

In a litany of events as proofs that we are at the dark ages of drugs and crimes under the Presidency of Benigno Simeon Aquino III, among many other undeniable evidence:

It is only during the Presidency of Aquino that more than a dozen tourists were massacred at the historical Luneta Park. It is only under the Presidency of Aquino that a national calamity was not properly addressed.

For those ignorant of our nation’s history, when the typhoon in 1912 struck Leyte and Cebu that killed four hundred and rendered thousands homeless, when Typhoon Amy in 1951, also of the eruption of Hibuk Hibuk in Camiguin, the devastation being felt in the nearby provinces of Misamis Oriental, the conflagration or the great fire that hit Cebu City, and many others were immediately addressed by the nation’s Chief Executives.

The Governor General during the great flood of 1912 and the Presidents during the typhoons and fires never whined, complained or invented excuses. They dispatched their cabinet officials to help the victims of the natural calamities.

More than a year after Yolanda struck Leyte, the President and all his men has failed to do its job. Take this as an example, a Police Officer assigned in San Jose District, Tacloban City died in the line of duty during the Typhoon. His cadaver retrieved by the family, yet was buried in the mass crave upon orders of the national authorities. Now, the family could not yet retrieve the body as the government could not yet or has not yet conducted DNA examination to exhume the body and the patriot police officer be given a decent burial.

Is this not a crime? This is a crime against humanity due to ineptness and stupidity. In these times where we brag of modern technology and science we could not identify a body? When few years after the war, relatives of patriots executed by the Japanese in mass craves were able to identify the bodies through their dental records? A police officer has a medical and dental records, why not be serious?

It is only during this dark age of drugs and crimes, where criminals boldly shoot our law enforcers. It is only now that drug syndicates are bold and confident to insult and wreak havoc in our society. Admittedly there were shadowy law enforcers in the past, but they were in control, the criminals and syndicates were afraid of them, but now, the syndicates are even more powerful than our PNP Chief, PDEA Director, NBI Director and even our DOJ Secretary.

Since we as a we people have a short memory, let us be reminded that Sec. De Lima when she was newly appointed, went to the National Bilibid Prison and paraded members of the media and told the Filipino People in national television that she will put a stop of the air conditioned cells of the prisoners. But what happened? As you could see now, the cells became hotels, Jacuzzis and bath tubs brought in. What is the explanation? It is either De Lima is part or tolerates what is happening in the national prison or she is just foolish enough to be fooled by her subordinates. Under the PNOY administration it has repeatedly failed in going after criminals, remember the AMAN Scam? Was De Lima able to effect his extradition? Remember, she also announced in national television that the following day NBI Agents which was already in Malaysia would bring him in. But what happened? Up to now no news of the extradition has been reported.

The blind loyalists of Noynoy tell us that he is successful in going after criminals, like the imprisonment of Senators Enrile, Revilla and Estrada. Yes it is true, you may also add the impeachment of Chief Justice Corona. But what is this? This simply is eradicating the competition. It is said that the biggest enemy of a corrupt administration are its competitors in stealing government coffers.

How come President Aquino has failed up to now, in the arrest of alleged murderers like Congressman Ruben Ecleo? How about the Reyes brothers of Palawan? Why was Senior Superintendent Conrad Capa transferred after the arrest of Delfin Lee of Globe Asiatic?

We are in the dark age of drugs and crimes, no one is safe except President Aquino and its immediate family as a battalion of PSG serves as its security detail. But how about you and me? Civilians deprived of the right to bear arms? (the PNP IRR of the R.A. 10591 makes it prohibitory for civilians to possess firearms).

But as we end the year 2014, let us be optimistic for someone said that “the darkest part of the night is where the dawn is near”. This dark age of drugs and crimes will soon pass, let us hold the line in the belief that good shall triumph over evil.

Illegal drugs and its offspring crimes are in its highest during this Presidency, with no major drug syndicates arrested. What is alarming is the failure of De Lima to squarely answer the queries of General Dionisio Santiago, former AFP Chief of Staff and who was appointed Bureau of Correction Chief before appointed as Director General of the PDEA during Arroyo’s time, as to the whereabouts of the Chinese drug lords supposedly incarcerated?

My fellow countrymen, we are on our own in waging this war against drugs and crimes, let us be vigilant, let us guard or own homes and families. Let us hold the line, till the time comes when a national government comes to replace the dark age of Aquino and lead us in fighting drugs and crimes.

Majority of us were duped, I for one, I really believed in the goodness of Noynoy, but I realize that the GEM of hope that we believed is after all is just like “LUBOT SA BASO”.

About the Author: Clarence Paul V. Oaminal is a lawyer and author of ‘The Textbook on The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002’. He is the Vice-chairman and Undersecretary of the Dangerous Drugs Board and is the current adviser and presiding officer of Cebu City Anti-Drug Abuse Council. He also hosts the local advocacy program ‘Krimen ug Drugas’ in CCTN Channel 47.