The drug war

THE WAR against illegal drugs in the country became serious when President Rodrigo R. Duterte assumed office. Since then, it has escalated in both rhetoric and lethalness; soon enough thousands lay dead.

The past two weeks saw another escalation when two mayors were killed. Both were included in Mr. Duterte’s so-called “narco list.” But the way they died was questionable at best—one allegedly died while engaging the police in a shootout in a checkpoint; the other died while also engaging the police in a shootout inside a jail cell.

Datu Saudi-Ampatuan (Maguindanao) mayor Samsudin Dimaukom was killed along with his bodyguards at 4:30 am of October 28. The police said they were tipped off that the mayor was transporting large amounts of shabu [methamphetamine hydrochloride]. Apparently, the mayor and his men opened fire at the police officers manning the checkpoint. This prompted the police to fire back, the report said. The results, however, is not only mystifying but more so, confusing.

The mayor and all his men were riddled with bullets; and the police officers only got their vehicles riddled with bullets. And the clincher was the fact that they allegedly confiscated 13 sachets of shabu—a far cry from the huge amount they were saying. Certainly, the mayor, who earlier surrendered after being “named and shamed” by Mr. Duterte, would not have risked his life for a mere 13 sachets. But of course, we will never know. After all dead men tell no tales.

Just over a week later, Albuera (Leyte) mayor Rolando Espinosa also lay dead in his jail cell from another “firefight”.

Mr. Espinosa was also tagged in Mr. Duterte’s “narco-list”; as was his son, Kerwin Espinosa alleged to be the biggest drug lord in Eastern Visayas. After he was included in the dreaded list, mayor Espinosa surrendered and sought the help of PNP Director General Ronald “Bato” M. dela Rosa for protection. At that time, both illegal drug pushers and users were falling by the wayside fast. Despite his surrender, the Albuera mayor was released and no charges were filed against him. But a short time later, his house was raided and illegal firearms and a sizeable amount of shabu was discovered. This prompted the filing of requisite charges against him. Soon enough, he was jailed at the Albuera police station. Mr. Espinosa sought the protection of Albuera police Chief Insp. Jovie Espenido.

At that time, Mr. Espenido convinced the Albuera mayor to execute an affidavit identifying persons—both private and public—who have been protecting his son’s illegal drug trade.

Mr. Espinosa was transferred to sub-provincial jail in Baybay City, Leyte to face the illegal possession of firearms charges filed against him. It was at this jail when Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Region 8 operatives served a search warrant on his jail cell at 4 am of November 5.

And as previous police officers have reasoned before them, the CIDG elements insisted that there was a firefight. And the mayor—already jailed and unprotected by his usual bodyguards—chose to shoot at the police first for no discernible reason.

The situation created more questions than answers. Why implement a search warrant operation at that unholy hour at a government-controlled facility at that? And the implication of the CIDG’s reasoning is that the jail facility has either tacitly or stupidly allowed firearms and illegal drugs into their compound.

The war against illegal drugs maybe a necessity as Mr. Duterte keeps ranting about. But at what price? Would the deaths of thousands who we will never know if they were guilty or innocent be the gauge of success for the war?

Would not it be better if the success of this war is measured with the lessening or total elimination of illegal drugs in our streets? And would not it be the best if the real “big fishes” behind the country’s illegal drug trades are the ones being jailed or eliminated—if that is the way our government wants it to be?