Osmeña to demolish drug dens in lieu of ‘shame’ signs
While the legality of the shame campaign against illegal drug personalities remains in question, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he is willing to replicate the idea in his own turf if it’s indeed within the bounds of law.
But Osmeña will tweak the campaign according to his own style – instead of just posting an “Identified Drug Den” sign on the house, just like what’s being practiced in Barangay Pajo, LapuLapu City, he would prefer having the structure demolished altogether.
“My option is worst: I’ll demolish the house. I’ll start in (Barangay) Ermita,” the mayor said.
“If I can post a poster there, I would. Like they said, is that legal? I don’t know, but if it is legal, oh yes (I would do it),” he added.
Although this is what Osmeña wanted to do if the shame campaign would be found lawful, he was quick to point out that the final decision would still rest on the city police.
The FREEMAN tried to contact Cebu City Police Office Director Senior Superintendent Joel Doria, who was in Manila yesterday, to get his comment on the mayor's statement, but there was no reply from his end.
TWO SIDES
Regional police officials, for their part, appear to be using a more diplomatic approach into the issues surrounding the shame campaign.
Chief Superintendent Jose Mario Espino, director at the Police Regional Office-7, yesterday urged Lapu-Lapu City police and representatives from the city's Association of Barangay Council to coordinate with each other to have a unified stand about the human rights issues leveled against the campaign.
This after the Commission on Human Rights-7 has launched an investigation into the shame campaign to ascertain if it violates certain human rights.
Espino said he will wait for the CHR's findings.
He will also ask suggestion from the commission as to how the campaign could be saved, considering that it was somehow effective after it led to the on-the-spot surrender of 92 suspected drug personalities in Pajo.
“Maganda rin invite natin ang CHR to talk and explain to us, ano yung dapat gawin to further improve yang shame campaign na yan,” Espino said.
Espino said there are always two sides of the coin. While their main goal is to win the crusade against drugs, he said human rights violations should be prevented.
“Sabi ko nga yesterday there are two sides of the coin, may disadvantage at advantage. Maganda yung move as long as walang naviviolate na human rights. If the findings say that it is a violation ng human rights, so masasabi rin namin, ano naman yung paraan to continue this without violating human rights?” Espino said.
CHR-7 Director Arvin Odron earlier branded the shaming initiative as a “potent” human rights issue because of the principle of the “presumption of innocence of all persons.”
“We need to talk likewise to the local officials concerned and the police to ensure that their actions, plans, programs are in accord with the human rights standards set by the international treaties which the Philippines ratified,” he said.
WHAT RIGHTS?
However, Osmeña does not believe in protecting the human rights of criminals, such as peddlers of illegal drugs.
“The criminals don't have to follow the law. The criminals are exempted from human rights, believe it or not, they can kill, they can poison, they are exempted. Do you think the Commission on Human Rights will go after them? No. They'll go after us,” he said.
Yet the mayor said it's up to the police how to respond, saying he would “slow down on that because they removed all my power anyway.”
Asked if he would encourage barangay officials in the city to implement a similar shame campaign in their respective jurisdictions, Osmeña responded to the negative.
“The barangay officials mostly are not mine anyway. They're the ones involved in drugs like Ermita, Lorega, Suba, Calamba, and Hipodromo. They are all over the place, but these are the places that are the worst,” he said.
Osmeña said the continued proliferation of drugs in the barangays was exactly the reason why he threatened to suspend the monthly allowances of barangay tanods amounting to P5,000.
Earlier, Councilor David Tumulak, chairman of the City Council committee on public order and safety, said the shame campaign spearheaded by Lapu-Lapu City policemen and Pajo Barangay Captain Junard Chan is unconstitutional.
“Naa nama'y case preceded ana sa Makati nga under sa Supreme Court nga unconstitutional ang maong sistema. So dili pwede nga atoa nang ibutang (‘Identified Drug Den'). It is unfair also sa hingtungdan nga butangan ang iyahang panimalay nga kini siya usa ka drug den,” he said.
He said the more appropriate way is to call the attention of drug personalities involved and to closely monitor the area.
Councilor Joel Garganera, meanwhile, expressed support to the campaign, as long as all information have been duly verified.