Now that small-time street criminals are either dead or on the run, it’s time President Duterte went after the big fish in the illegal drug trade.
The big-time drug traffickers are still alive in New Bilibid Prison; some are roaming the halls of Congress and various local government offices.
A provincial governor and a town mayor in Luzon who reportedly ran a “shabu” (crystal meth) laboratory on their island province have been given a reprieve after they allegedly joined PDP-Laban, the administration party.
A Northern Luzon congressman who reportedly got elected because of the illegal drug trade is still alive and kicking, so to speak.
The drug trade could not have reached monstrous proportions without the blessings of many officials.
I dare say the height of the drug trade was during the administration of the do-nothing President Noynoy Kuyakoy.
If Duterte’s government were to make an example of “VIP” prisoners at New Bilibid Prison, legislators, governors, mayors and police officials who protect the drug trade by putting them in the same category as small-time pushers and addicts, then and only then would the drug business stop altogether.
In 1972, after the declaration of martial law, the Marcos government publicly executed Lim Seng, a notorious drug trafficker at that time, in Fort Bonifacio.
For at least two years after that, the country didn’t have a problem with illegal drugs.
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President Duterte said that henceforth, he would kick out of office corrupt officials despite friendship or blood ties.
To do that, he should form secret or counterintelligence groups to spy on government offices.
The secret groups would consist of military men — preferably Marines, Army Rangers or members of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces — who directly report to him.
There should be no policemen because they might “contaminate” the others.
One group would gather dossiers on government officials and their reports would be validated or disproved by the second group.
Members of the group who are “burned” (their identity exposed) should immediately be dismissed because they’re using their position to extort from people they’re spying on.
This is a guarantee that corruption in the Duterte administration will be considerably lessened.