Ejercito suspects China turning a blind eye on illegal drug shipment in PH

A senator is starting to think that China is purposely “turning a blind eye” on the continuous entry of drugs into the Philippines.

“I am beginning to suspect that China is turning a blind eye on this problem on purpose. It’s like the Opium War in the 18th century, where Chinese battled the illegal opium shipments to China by foreign traders, mostly British,” Senator JV Ejercito said in a statement on Friday.

“The situation at present is quite parallel, only that some Chinese are possibly the major source and instigators of drug shipments to the Philippines,” he said.

Ejercito said the government should closely coordinate with the Chinese authorities, if the latter are really sincere.

“If they’re really a sincere ally, they can put a stop to the shipments of illegal drugs to the Philippines, thereby nipping in the bud of our problem,” he said.

Last May, a shipment containing 605 kilograms of “shabu” worth P6.4 billion from Xiamen, China went past the Bureau of Customs. This prompted the Congress to hold several inquiries into the controversial shipment, the biggest amount of drugs delivered to the country under the Duterte administration.

READ: Senate probes P6-B drug smuggling through Customs

Ejercito, although an ally of President Rodrigo Duterte, urged the government to shift its priority in the drug war and start targeting high-profile personalities who are bringing drugs into the country.

“The campaign against illegal drugs should shift high gear by focusing on the sourced drug shipments — whether in raw or finished product forms — which from all indications come from China, and intercept them before reaching our shores,” the senator said.

He said the drug war should not be confined in the country’s streets, by killing small narcotics retailers, pushers and drug addicts.

“This strategy will only pile up body bags. Sana naman makakita na tayo ng mga ‘big fish’ na nakaposas at ihinahatid sa kulungan (Hoping to see “big fish” being led to jail in handcuffs)

!” he said. JPV