Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Tuesday expressed doubt that President Rodrigo Duterte will meet his deadline to solve the problem of illegal drugs in 12 months.
In a post on his social media account, Pangilinan cited a local newspaper report in July, which said that over 4,000 drug addicts and pushers surrendered in Davao City as a result of the government’s anti-drug program dubbed Oplan Tokhang.
“If the Davao City anti illegal drugs campaign did not succeed in stamping out and eliminating pushers and addicts in Davao City under President Duterte's 24 year stint as Mayor, what makes us think that the nationwide campaign against illegal drugs will succeed in 6 months (extended to another 6 months)?” Pangilinan said.
“If a mailed fist policy against illegal drugs did not succeed in eliminating the drug menace in a smaller area (one city) over a longer period of time (24 years), why will it succeed in a larger area (the entire country of over 100 cities and over 1000 municipalities) in a shorter period of time (3 to 6 to 12 months)?” the senator added.
Last month, Duterte said he needs an extension of another six months on his self-imposed deadline of three to six months to solve the crime and drugs problem in the Philippines.
Duterte, former mayor of Davao City, said he did not realize how severe the drug problem is in the country until he was elected President.
He added that the war on drugs had exposed so many people involved in the business of illegal drugs, it was like pressing “worms out of a can.”
In a press conference on Monday, Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa said he believes the government is "winning" in the war on drugs.
Senator Pangilinan said the government should “rethink” its approach on the drug menace.
“Our people yearn for and deserve Oplans that work,” Pangilinan said.
At the resumption of the Senate probe on drug-related killings on Monday, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV pointed out that Davao City, from 2010 to 2015, had the most number of murder incidents.
Citing statistics from the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Statistics Authority, Trillanes added that Davao City was number two in terms of incidents of rape.
“Since naging mayor dun sa Duterte, eh bakit number one sa murder at number two sa rape so ibig sabihin hindi tama yung approach,” Trillanes said.
The PNP said a total of 1,375 drug suspects have been killed and 22,387 more have been arrested in the 23,474 operations conducted from July 1 to 6 a.m. of October 3.
It also reported that a total of 732,115 drug users and pushers have surrendered during the same period
source:gmanews
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