Let’s not insert politics into the Senate’s investigation into the Duterte administration’s “war on drugs.” This was the plea made Monday by Sen. Robinhood “Robin” C. Padilla at the hearing on the matter.
Padilla said the threat from illegal drugs and drug syndicates cannot be denied, as drugs were even manufactured in the New Bilibid Prison where he was jailed for some years.
“Napagusapan po natin ang mga biktima ng sinasabing war on drugs pero hindi po natin napagusapan ang mga biktima ng mga durugista, kung paano pinapatay ang kanilang mga anak, pinapatay ang kanilang mga asawa, pinapatay ang kanilang mga kapitbahay, kung paano sinira ng droga ang buhay ng mga pamilya ng OFW (We talk about the victims of the war on drugs but we have not talked about the victims of drug syndicates – how they and their loved ones are killed, or how drugs have ruined the families of overseas Filipino workers),” he said.
“Totoo po ang buhay ng isang tao, yan ay bigay ng Diyos, yan ay kayamanan, yan ay regalo sa atin ng Diyos. Pero mga mahal kong kababayan, ang atin pong bayan ay nasa bingit ng napakalaking kapahamakan. Kung hindi po titindig ang ating kapulisan, kung hindi tatayo ang ating law enforcement, tayo ay tatalunin ng mga sindikatong naghahari nagluluto ng droga kung saan saan (It is true that a life is a gift from God. But our nation is in deep trouble. If our police do not act, we will be defeated by the drug syndicates),” he added.
Padilla stressed it would be wrong to blame all deaths from the “war on drugs” on the Duterte administration, adding the drug problem is now worldwide.
“Kung walang tatayo para lumaban dito paano ang kinabukasan ng mga anak natin? Paano ang kinabukasan ng bayan natin (If no one will stand up and fight this menace, what future will our children and nation have)?” he asked.
