Not the only solution

I’d like to give my opinion on the issue raised by Rina Jimenez David in her column, “Long-term solution to drug problem” (Opinion, 8/18/17).

She categorically said that the “real, effective and long-term solution to the drug problem is not, believe it or not, extrajudicial killings, ‘tokhang,’ or any newfangled, fancily named police or military operation.”

In saying this, she assumes that the killings of suspected drug pushers, users, or runners are EJKs. This is somehow a faulty generalization of all cases of police encounters of drug suspects leading to the deaths of the latter. We know that any police operation follows the “rules of engagement.” If something wrong happens in the operation, it does not necessarily follow that the police units commit EJKs. Maybe, they just committed some lapses in the operation which led to the deaths of suspected drug personalities.

I would also like to disagree on her point that the real, effective and long-term solution to the drug problem is rehabilitation of drug addicts. I think this is part of the solution but not the only solution. Think of those who finance the drug trade, the government officials protecting it. What we usually hear or read in the news are drug personalities directly involved in the drug trade like the pushers, runners, users, and others.

Remember it’s business! There are drug lords financing this luxurious trade. Do you think they need rehabilitation from drug addiction? Shouldn’t they be held liable to the full force of the law?

ROEL O. JUMAWAN, [email protected]