Threatened, drug cartel moves against Duterte bid

THREATENED by Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s likely presidential bid, the country’s big drug syndicates have reportedly formed an alliance to stop him from winning an election next year.A raw but reliable intelligence report said big drug lords based in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao have linked up to put up a united front against a Duterte presidency.

“Information gathered showed that there are three strategies to be employed in neutralizing Duterte,” said a member of the Duterte camp who received the raw intelligence information.He said the first option would be to eliminate Duterte before he could even decide to run for the presidency through assassination, the intelligence information said.The second option, he said, is to launch a negative media campaign and black propaganda against the mayor.

He said the third would be the use of drug money during the campaign period, and the elections to ensure the defeat of Duterte.Duterte was advised to beef up his security following the receipt of the raw intelligence information.Security analysts said that while the intelligence report still has to undergo validation, a concerted effort by the drug syndicates against a presidential prospect who could work against the drug operations in the country is highly probable.

Of the four names being floated as presidential candidates in the 2016 elections––Vice President Jejomar Binay, Sen. Grace Poe, Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II, and Duterte––only the mayor who has clearly identified dangerous drugs as a major security concern for the country.
Duterte earlier issued a warning that unless the government focuses on the worsening drugs problem in the country, the young Filipinos today could be a “damaged generation.”

Duterte’s warning came in the heels of an announcement made by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) that 92% of the barangays in Metro Manila face drugs problems.In an article published by the Philippine Star, the PDEA reported that more than 8,000 barangays in the country are plagued with the drug menace.

PDEA director general Arturo Cacdac Jr. said that based on its consolidated data gathered from operational reports and other law enforcement agencies, the PDEA said around 20.51 percent or 8,629 villages out of the 42,065 barangays nationwide have drugelated cases.“Metro Manila has the highest rate of being drug-affected with 92.10 percent of the region’s barangays affected, followed by Region 4A (Southern Tagalog) at 33.78 percent,” a report said.

The has waged a relentless and oftentimes bloody campaign against drug syndicates operating in his city.A few years ago, Duterte led a raid on a suspected laboratory producing methamphetamine hydrochloride in his city.Seven foreigners, believed to be either Chinese or Taiwanese, were killed in the raid.He has publicly warned drug dealers against operating in his country saying they could end up in two places––jail or the funeral parlours.

Duterte’s public warning against criminals and drug dealers has earned rebuke from Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and Human Rights chief Etta Rosales. -manny pinol, contributor