The drug menace and the rising crime rates
One does not have to be an NBI agent or need to be a genius on criminology, so as to draw a logical correlation between the proliferation of drugs these days, on the one hand, and the extraordinary upsurge of crimes, on the other hand. Murders, rapes, kidnappings, robberies, and other heinous crimes are on the rise. Day in and day out, small girls are being ravished, 90-year-old women are being murdered, robberies are committed in broad daylight and innocent lives are being wasted in the hands of drug addicts. What is frightening is that a number of drug syndicates, not to mention those into gambling, prostitution, smuggling, kidnapping, carnapping, and extortion, are allegedly being run by uniformed members of the police force and the military. What is happening to our country, General?
When I was younger, I could walk with my girlfriend late at nights, after my 9:00 pm class in UV, all the way from Colon to as far as Fuente Osmeña, then to B Rodriguez. Nobody harmed us and we felt safe even beyond midnight. Today, I would never allow my three sons to do what I did. They will never be safe. In the seventies, I used to hike from our mountain village in Langin, Ronda at dawn, traversing rivers and hills all the way to Colawin and Alambijud, Argao. Nothing untoward happened to me except being bothered by dogs who saw me walking hours before sunrise. Today, there are a lot of dangers lurking along the way. I would not allow my nephews to follow the path I used to tread.
Every day, in these perilous times, the headlines banner some despicable crimes committed by very young offenders. Over the radio and TV we get news on incestuous rapes perpetrated by fathers against their virgin young daughters. Fathers are killed by their own sons and brothers murder brothers all under the influence of drugs. Pedophiles prey upon young innocent boys and girls. Even old women are being raped by teenagers who are all acting without discernment because of the power of drugs. Young students commit suicide also because of prohibited drugs. The damage being caused by these evil substances are beyond words to describe. Homes are shattered. Marriages are broken. Lives are devastated. And the whole nation seems not to be perturbed at all.
It therefore confuses us, we are sorry to say this, why town mayors are not taking some urgent and decisive initiatives in order to stop the drug menace with utmost sense of commitment. We firmly believe that in any given locality, drug lords, drug couriers, and drug pushers cannot proliferate without the tacit approval or at the very least, blatant ineptitude of local government units executives. The drug problems could not become an endemic menace in our country today, without some shade of cooperation or some aspect of collaboration of the police. The mayor and the police can wipe out the drug problem very easily if they want to. They have the powers and the resources to do so. Above all, it is their duty to protect the citizens from such social malady.
This nation will face a very bleak future, not because of poverty, nor due to ebola virus nor by any typhoon, flood, or volcanic eruption. The strongest and worst threat to our people is the drug menace. The drug addicts of today can be the congressmen, the policemen, and the town mayors of tomorrow. Our government will be run by people who used to be hooked into drugs. Vital State actions and decisions will be in the hands of people who had been into drugs. I do not know what you guys, out there, think about it. As for me, I shudder at the grim possibilities. I am very sad for our grandchildren. What is happening to our country in general ?
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