The Ruins of Drug War

By G-Yan Dungan Mamuyac

Drug addiction is a disease, a cancer of society that needs a cure. In scientific jargon, drug
addiction is a brain disease whereby the brain is conditioned in a way that enables the user to become
dependent on the substance.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has declared that the country's drug problem has become a
national security threat, and that he intends to issue an official order directing the military to help in his
campaign. In his first State of the Nation Address, President Rodrigo Duterte said that, based on data from
the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), there were about “3 million drug addicts” in the country
“two or 3 years ago,” and possibly 3.7 million now.

A project of Philippine National Police (PNP) called “Oplan Tokhang” , a national law enforcement
project was implemented all over the country. This was launched as part of the campaign to warn illegal
drug traffickers and users to stop their activities.

The main advantage of PH Oplan Tokhang to scare the people who are using and selling drugs.
We cannot deny the fact that this lessens the number of drug dependants and dealers. “Tokhang was ‘not
about killings’ but was a way to convince drug users to stop and seek rehabilitation, and drug peddlers to
stop their trade,” Dela Rosa said during the opening of the Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic
Association.

On the flip side, the lives of Filipinos have little value now. Since taking office on June 30, 2016,
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has carried out a “war on drugs” that has led to the deaths of over
12,000 Filipinos to date, mostly urban poor. At least 2,555 of the killings have been attributed to the
Philippine National Police. As of April 23, 2017, there have been over 7,000 deaths, both from legitimate
police operations and vigilante-style or unexplained killings. The number of killings already represents a
significant spike in violent deaths in the Philippines. Fascism and Dictatorship may rise from these
unlimited Oplan Tokhang.

Every life is a precious gift from above that we must treasure. The Constitution as well as the laws
granted us the right of due process of law. As a principle embodied on it, the State values and protects
life, liberty and property. The government must be the one who will protect the lives of its people, its
property and liberty. It must not become a Leviathan who will satisfy its end by raping its own people or
by spilling their blood. Protect the lives of its people, value their properties and promote their liberty. As
the momentum of the current drug war increases, let us, as one nation, keep in mind why we are doing it
in the first place: to reduce the frequency of drug use.