“WHILE we condemn in no uncertain terms any and all illegal drug activities, we urge the two houses of congress to take a serious look at the reimposition of the death penalty most especially on drug related offenses.”
This is the latest pronouncement of Surigao del Norte Representative and Chairman of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs Robert Ace Barbers upon knowing the execution by China of two Filipino drug couriers.
Barbers has consistently refiled his bill in the three congresses reimposing the death penalty on certain heinous crimes especially on drug-related offenses. House Bill 1543 is still pending in the Justice Committee of the House.
“Our kababayans convicted in foreign lands for drug trafficking are almost always executed while we extend kid gloves treatment if not VIP treatment to foreigners especially Chinese nationals who are apprehended and convicted of the same offense here. There should be a similar punishment imposed on these foreign nationals as well as fellow Filipinos who introduce drugs into the country. If other countries treat illegal drugs as a threat to their citizenry and the whole society, why are we so soft in treating this menace in our own territory?”
“China was firm in executing Filipinos yet we are being flooded with tons and tons of illegal drugs especialy shabu from China. It is a wonder that while China was very very hard on drug trafficking, the drugs that come to our shores originate from its ports. Yet, we have yet to see one Chinese convict being executed to deter others from commiting such heinous a crime. It seems that we have accepted all the exports from China, from POGOS to illegal gambling and kidnapping syndicates, sleeper cells, illegal drugs and what have you. It is obvious that we have become the dumping ground of the scums in their society, yet we seem to be oblivious to what they are doing to our country. Our eyes seem to be wide shut.”
It may be recalled that during the past administration, the concentration was on the demand side, leading to the arrests and deaths of thousands of street drug pushers and users.
“It is long overdue that we seriously train out guns on the supply side of this illegal drug trade. If we can deter the foreign suppliers, we will send a strong signal that our people are not guinea pigs of their drugs. The continous inflow of drugs from China is a serious insult to our government and meant to belittle our laws, in the same way that they are not afraid of our military forces in the West Philippine Sea,” Barbers said.
