Navotas revives Lim’s ‘shame campaign’

What’s one effective way of keeping suspected drug pushers off the streets?

For operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and Navotas officials, the answer is quite simple: Spray paint an antidrugs message on the suspects’ houses.

This was precisely what the team led by PDEA Metro Manila Regional Office Director Wilkins Villanueva and Navotas Mayor Johnrey Tiangco did when they failed to catch 20 suspected drug pushers in simultaneous surprise raids conducted on several houses in Barangays Tangos, San Roque and Daang Hari around 4 a.m. Tuesday.

Instead, the suspects’ relatives were asked to write “I support a drug-free Navotas” using red spray paint on the facade of their houses.

“It’s one way to remind people living in the area that [these people] should not be emulated,” Jayne Banayad, the city’s chief public information officer, told the Inquirer.

According to her, the idea was broached by PDEA to Tiangco before the operation. The scheme is reminiscent of Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim’s “shame campaign” in the 1990s which was later declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

At that time, the message “House of pushers, move out!” was sprayed on the houses of suspected drug pushers in the city.

“[Before], we hung a tarpaulin which contained the mayor’s number in areas [which were raided by PDEA] so that the residents could [provide the local government with tips about] any suspected drug pusher,” Banayad said.

Tuesday’s operation, however, was not a total loss as six people who yielded around 20 sachets of what was believed to be “shabu” or methamphetamine hydrochloride were arrested.

They were identified as a man known only as alias Buboy Tibayan, a certain Boyet, Kris Paranaque, Roberto “Obet” Baluyot, Elvira Panganiban and an alias Entong.