Batas Mauricio
RETIRED police general Marcelo Garbo has to answer an exposé which appears to have been made against him on Facebook allegedly by former Cebu governor Gwendolyn Garcia, which claims, in so many words, that he refused to involve the Philippine National Police in the fight against illegal drugs, apparently on the bidding of people in power in 2010-2012, under the term of President Aquino.
Garcia’s supposed exposé is scary, because it insinuates that the very government in 2010-2012 that was supposed to protect its people against illegal drugs was somehow involved in its widespread distribution. Garbo has to, at the very least, deny what Garcia is supposed to be saying, because if it is unrefuted, it can implicate the highest officials of the country at that time in illegal drugs.
For those who missed Garcia’s supposed Facebook post, I am reprinting it here, in the interest of public service, to await Garbo’s answer: “In my second term as Governor of Cebu, I chaired the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) of Region 7. One RPOC meeting, I remember having a spirited exchange of words with then Assistant Regional Director Garbo.
“I had asked that PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency), the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and the PNP (Philippine National Police) join hands in our total all-out war against illegal drugs. Surprisingly, Garbo refused.
“He said it was PDEA's problem, not the PNP's. Notably, neither PDEA nor the AFP agreed with him. On my third term, in December of 2012, PNoy (President Aquino) issued a patently illegal six-month suspension order against me. It was conveniently five (5) months prior to the May 2013 elections.
“In the early morning hours right after the suspension order was served, Garbo (now RD [Regional Director] for Region 7) came to my office at the Capitol. He reminded me of that exchange of words we had and his refusal to join me then in my campaign against illegal drugs.
“I thought then that he only had an ax to grind against me. Little did I realize that there was a deeper, more sinister reason. Garbo then said that he was ready to join Magpale (PNoy's and the LP's anointed OIC Governor) and turn the Capitol into a garrison state.
“‘You’ll have to understand, Ma’am. I’m working for my second star.’ He was a one-star general then. After that, Garbo proceeded on his meteoric rise in the PNP ranks. He almost became PNP Chief of Staff. But a dossier on his drug links thwarted his ambitions…”
Along the same lines, for purposes of satisfying public interest, I am also asking former Gov. Garcia to confirm that the supposed post came from her. Then, if she really was the one who made the post, I will further ask that she executes a sworn statement basically repeating her post, and submit it to newly installed PNP Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, to form part of the evidence on illegal drugs.
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Let me make myself clear: I am in support of President Duterte’s campaign to rid this country of illegal drugs. True enough, illegal drugs make our people commit the most heinous of crimes. And the funny thing about it is that, illegal drugs proliferate because there are millions of Filipinos who buy them, even if they are already dirt poor.
But then, Duterte must take into account the truth that the fight against illegal drugs could not be won on the basis merely of killing the small-time drug pushers, or of shaming, or even prosecuting, the generals and their protectors. Yes, fear maybe installed in the hearts of criminals dealing with drugs for a while, but, sooner or later, they will find ways to push their wares once again!
With due respect, the real battle against drugs, or any other form of criminality for that matter, is in truly transforming the hearts and minds of our people. We should take our people away from evil thoughts and desires, which are easy prey for drugs and crime syndicates. We should teach them to love and fear God at all times, through His Word, whether it is called the Bible, or the Koran, or by any other name.
The truth is that, many of our countrymen have become capable of committing even the most dastardly offense-aping one-year old babies and even octogenarian women, and killing fellow Filipinos for a measly amount, among others--because they no longer have the love and fear of God in their hearts.
Many may argue that there are more compelling reasons for this phenomenon of rising criminality among many of us, like poverty, graft and corruption among our officials that translate into minimized or eliminated opportunities for a better life, and immorality that seems to have become the rule rather than the exception in our day-to-day lives.
And this could be true. But then, we have to ask: why is there poverty? Why is there graft and corruption among our government and political leaders? Why is immorality now so prevalent among many nowadays? The answer is, we no longer have fear and love of God in our hearts and minds.
How did Filipinos lose their fear and love of God? There are many reasons for this but, as far as I am concerned, the greatest reason is the fact that we no longer know who God is, and what He can truly do for, or to, all of us. We no longer know that if we listen to, and obey, His commands, his blessings, guidance, and protection will come upon us.
We no longer know that if we no longer listen to, nor obey, His commands, God’s curses will overtake and devastate us, and transform all of us into criminals, whether of the more public kind like the drug pushers and the killers on the loose, or of the “closet” kind who plunder and steal, or engage in adultery, most often secretly.
How did it happen that we no longer know these things? Simply because we no longer read and study His Holy Book---the Bible for Christians, the Koran for Muslims---in the way that this Holy Book should be read and studied, constraining us to either fail to obey or outrightly disobey what is written therein. We should read and obey, if we want true change to come!
E-mail: batasmauricio@yahoo.com
