Many Filipinos Choose to be Spectators in the War Against Drugs, Instead of Being its Warriors

DRUGS AND CRIMES

Our country is at war, it is at war against drugs, but unlike the revolution against Spain and World War II where we fought against foreign invaders, we are fighting against our own brothers and sisters.

What is worse is that we are at war, when only few of us are fighting.

Many of us are just spectators in the war against drugs, many of us are just hecklers and audience. Most of us just criticize and complain, instead of being part of the war as warriors. There are those who side with the drug syndicates, either by being its peddlers or just plainly sympathizers.

We sympathize by siding with the drug peddlers by protecting them during raids. During World War II, our forefathers fought the Japanese Imperial Army valiantly, many of them died, yet today, many of us refuse to fight the biggest battle this country has ever been into.

The war against drugs, is a war not just against tyranny, oppression or persecution but the very annihilation of the moral fabric of the Filipino Nation. Drugs have tremendously destroyed individuals and families.

Almost all families in this country have been invaded by drugs. There is no family that has been exempted from illegal drugs, maybe not in the immediate family but in the extended family.

Many of us, often ask why are we losing the war against drugs? The biggest reason is that only few of us are fighting against drugs.

We choose to be spectators, instead of being warriors. We are good at analyzing every time there are arrests, making opinions on how government should fight illegal drugs. But the war against drugs is not like a boxing match or basketball game that we just watch in the sideline. It requires us to be there, we have to be its players as its warriors.

The war against illegal drugs is a war that we must fight as a nation.

We cannot just leave our law enforcers, PDEA , PNP and NBI alone in this war, we have to be part of the war. We will never win the war against drugs if we continue to think that the war against illegal drugs is just plainly a law enforcement problem.

It is a war every Filipino must fight, we must fight it in our very homes, villages, subdivision, barangays, schools and offices.

Take up your arms now, and stop analyzing just like every time Pacquiao fights in the ring or when your favorite PBA basketball team plays, for we are fighting for the very survival of the Filipino race.

The difference in the past wars this country has been is that we do not have to kill or bled, we just have to make ourselves free from drugs.

Make our families free from drugs. We do not need firearms to achieve this, we just have to convince our families and fellowmen never to use drugs. That is our role as warriors, but if you want more action, you may, but start with making yourself and family free from drugs.

We have to be warriors instead of just being spectators.

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.