New warlords of drugs

by Peter Jimenea, of the Daily Guardian

IN MID 1990s, there were only two identified syndicates engaged in illegal drug business in Iloilo City. One was in Barangay Tanza-Esperanza and the other was in Barangay Bakhaw, Mandurriao.

The alleged leaders of the group were known only as Odicta and Prevendido. I knew these people when I was issuing surety bonds for temporary liberty of people facing criminal charges like the violation of R.A. 9165 or illegal drugs.

But lately, I received a lot of text messages during our Sky Cable TV talk show with DOJ Sec. Raul Gonzalez that there are new big players in illegal drug business making Odicta and Prevendido look like small peddlers on the sidewalks.

As disclosed by the texters, the new big players are Jong-Jong from the Waterfront and Bonnie from Mandurriao. More messages were coming in fingering the two as the new warlords of drugs in the city but we cannot disclose unsubstantiated accusations on the air.

The information fed by the televiewers during the replay of the program “Smart Views” could have concretized what the earlier claims hinted at. But Sec. Gonzalez advised them to come forward and prove their allegations against Jong-Jong and Bonnie.

Looking back to 1972, there were around 20,000 drug users only, mostly concentrated in Metro Manila with marijuana as the preferred drug of abuse. But in 1999, it shows there were already 1.8 million regular users and 1.6 million occasional users.

Out of the total number of users, however, 1.2 million belong to the youth. Worse, a survey conducted by SWS commissioned by DEP Center revealed there are about 9.3 million users all over the country. And that was seven years ago yet!

But with the reorganization of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) in 2002, along with it is the birth of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo then vowed to make Philippines a drug-free country by setting 2010 as deadline.

She was irritated by reports that one in 29 Filipinos aged 10 to 44 is hooked on drugs. This is also what got the DOJ Secretary so disgusted about that he declared a total war against drug lords and their protectors in Iloilo City.

As noted since 1972 to 1999, we were always receiving reports about law-enforcers fighting one another as if fighting criminals on the streets because of drug-money.

True, drug money buys judges, court personnel, prosecutors, police, military, lawyers, politicians and even officials in the barangay. So what’s more is there to tell about drug money?

It was only after PDEA was created that war on drugs transformed into a commitment for our law-enforcers to fight illegal drugs as if fighting a battle being fought by the Israelites and the Palestinians.

As a result, a number of police officers were recalled and transferred to new assignments. The new assignment was not a punitive action but a rescue operation to save them from moral bankruptcy - courtesy of PRO-6 Regional Director, C/Supt. Isagani Cuevas assisted by PDEA Regional Director, S/Supt. Roybel Sanchez.

True, today illegal drugs business in the city changed a lot. Odicta shifted interest from illegal drugs to legal businesses. But his contemporary in Bakhaw was reported to have joined forces with Jong-Jong for fear that Bonnie and allies who are making fast progress would finally control the market.

Texters claim that a Chinese linked to illegal drug business and a certain policeman with provincial assignment are allies of Bonnie while the shabu queen recently arrested by the PDEA at the waterfront is linked to Jong-Jong.

On how true, only God knows. But underworld business carries with it jealousy, betrayal, swindling and double-cross. As criminals have no recourse to court of law for settlement of differences, death is the most logical solution to all judicial problems.

In Mainland China they also have a very simple solution to this problem – a bullet in the head done in public. But this Chinese concept of swift justice is at odds with due process and I am certain Sec. Gonzalez won’t agree to this!