Narco-corruption has gone inclusive?

WITH some 90 percent of barangays in the National Capital itself reportedly in the sway of drug traffickers and the scourge having crept onto school campuses, we are at a loss why the Father of the Nation has not cracked the whip and spoken strongly against the menace.

The media have been replete with reports of major buy-bust operations and raids on drug-making laboratories and warehouses in Metro Manila, yet Malacañang right in the middle of it all, does not seem to notice the widespread problem.

In his yearly State of the Nation Address since he took office in 2010, President Noynoy Aquino has not bothered to deliver a policy statement or announced a campaign against the drugs menace that has not only toppled governments elsewhere but poisoned society.

We were jolted last Thursday by reports that Lt. Col. Ferdinand Marcelino, a former official of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, was caught with a Chinese companion named Yan Yi in a loaded drugs lab-storehouse in Sta. Cruz, Manila, by PDEA and police raiders.

Marcelino said he was there to check intelligence, but until his inquest by state prosecutors he could not present a mission order or identify his case officer. His situation had an incredulous lot asking about the possible dalliance between cops and criminals, so to speak.

Many observers have started to ask – because no total picture of the problem has been drawn for them by the authorities – if narco-poison has not been injected into the political bloodstream of this country.

It is hard to believe that there is no politician of consequence with a drug lord behind him or betting heavily on his candidacy in the May elections. The thought is disturbing.

Warning signs are too glaring to ignore, but by ourselves we plain citizens are helpless against the drug syndicates, especially those that have big politicians in their pockets – not to mention corrupt law enforcers, prosecutors and judges.

Neighboring countries routinely put to death Filipino travelers caught with prohibited drugs packed in their luggage. In China, where possession of more than 50 grams of heroin or such contraband is punishable by death, more than 70 Filipinos are reportedly languishing on death row.

In da Pilipins, however, corrupt authorities let go after a perfunctory prosecution aliens (most of them Chinese) caught operating a full-blown laboratory for manufacturing shabu. Those whose cases are too flagrant to fix are put in cozy quarters where they can continue their interrupted drug trafficking.

One is tempted to think that, considering the large number of Chinese drug traffickers in the country, they could be part of a plot of Beijing to lead this nation to the straight path to perdition without firing a shot.

As we note the deafening silence at the top, we wonder how high up the protection payola goes and how wide the bribery has spread. Has narco-corruption gone inclusive too?

• Relax, it’s just a tentative poll list

SENATE President Franklin Drilon, a Liberal Party stalwart, better watch his blood pressure and relax over the inclusion of Sen. Grace Poe Llamanzares and former mayor Rody Duterte in the first list of presidential candidates.

Drilon appealed to Chairman Andres Bautista of the Commission on Elections not to print the ballots for the May elections until the Supreme Court has ruled with finality on petitions to disqualify Poe and Duterte.

He was apparently worried that the High Court may not be able to render decisions by Feb. 1, the date when the Comelec plans to start the security printing of the 66 million or so ballots for national and local candidates.

It would be disrespectful of the Comelec to do that, Drilon said, aside from its causing confusion if the ballot had Poe and Duterte only for them to be disqualified later.

We think the Supreme Court should also do its part in preventing the confusion. Imagine if the tribunal renders a delayed decision in March, which is possible considering how creative lawyers are in concocting reasons for dilatory motions.

But we think this is all a case of unnecessary worrying in advance.

The list containing the names that Drilon wants removed is just tentative. The Comelec can still edit the list after Feb. 1 and delay for a few days the start of its printing.

Assuming the ballots with the names of Poe and Duterte are already being printed when the SC disqualifies one or both of them, the Comelec can issue a resolution based on the court order that votes cast for the disqualified candidate(s) shall be disregarded.

The Comelec can just have the program for the voting-counting machine edited or rewritten. This is not difficult to do, except for that delicate process of giving all necessary parties a chance to review the revised program.

If despite the Comelec resolution to disregard or to not count the votes cast for disqualified candidates the machine still counted them, the board of canvassers could just disregard the disallowed count.

Suppose, say, Poe’s or Duterte’s votes (even if disallowed) turned out to be more than those for any of the rest of the candidates and emerged as virtual winner?

This is a highly improbable scenario, because after the SC renders a disqualification ruling and the Comelec follows up to implement it, a substantial number of supporters of the disqualified candidates are likely to drop them.

Poe and Duterte have said publicly they would abide by the SC decision, whatever it is. Their supporters should follow their good example.

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