Do it the ‘Hard Way’

March 17, 2019 Editorial Sideglance

There’s this song by Australian country singer Keith Urban titled “The Hard Way”. While the song refers to how love survives and overcomes all trials along the way and emerge victorious in difficult situations, a parallel comparison can be made with the ongoing war on drugs being waged by the administration of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

Make no mistake about it, there is no easy way to unmask and obliterate the existing illegal drugs infrastructure established decades ago here in the country.

For one, the illegal drug syndicates have already subverted quite a number of our government officials who have either become staunch protectors of drug dealers or have become distributors
themselves in their respective territorial jurisdictions.

This is pure and simple betrayal of the trust and confidence reposed upon them by the people which they serve and a perversion of public service.

The President may have earned the ire of those politicians he has named in his latest narco-list, but just like the song it must be done the hard way to shock the senses of the people into realizing that those they have chosen to govern them are leading them into damnation.

For those included in the said narco-list, you should immediately clear your names and if your constituents really believe in your innocence then there is no worry because you will most surely win in the next elections.

However, if this is the first time for them to learn that you are an alleged narco-politician then sorry for you because reasonable and right minded people would not want to be governed by a leader involved in illegal drugs.

It would be different of course if that alleged narco-politician has already cowed and successfully threatened all the voters in his jurisdiction or worse converted them all into drug addicts then no amount of exposure and revelation about his illegal drug involvement will change their mind to vote him into public office.

But there you are, what the President has done is out of his duty and obligation to inform the public about drug protectors or drug distributors masquerading as public servants.

The President should go further in his war on drugs and persuade Congress to pass a law that would immediately impose the penalty of death to public officials convicted of either protecting or tolerating the operation of illegal drugs in their respective jurisdictions or are themselves involved in drug trafficking.

These drug dealers or drug syndicates will be greatly inconvenienced if they learn that they can never seek the protection of any government official or employee here in the country or of public officials voted into office.

This means these individuals and groups involved in the trafficking of drugs will be hard pressed in continuing their despicable operation in the country.

Just like in the song, the hard way is the means by which the illegal drug war campaign will ultimately emerge victorious.