Duterte’s war on drugs is fight vs poverty – senator

Apolitical ally of the Duterte administration said yesterday President Duterte’s controversial anti-illegal drug war is also a war against poverty.

Senator Alan Peter S. Cayetano, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said that poverty alleviation is a part of the pillars of President Duterte’s program.

“But you cannot deal with the problem on poverty and joblessness without dealing with the problem on drugs. Drugs put people in poverty. Drugs keep people in poverty,” he added.

Cayetano issued this statement following a recent remark made by Vice President Leni Robredo urging Duterte to focus instead on the “bigger war” against poverty and not on the antidrug war.

In response, Cayetano stressed that the war on drugs is part of the administration’s comprehensive approach to get people out of poverty.

He said the poor are usually the primary victims of drug-related crimes and their communities are often the main targets of drug personalities.

“If you say stop the campaign against drugs, kapag tinigil niyo yan, mawawala ang criticism ng extrajudicial killings (EJKs)… But you will see more poor children being raped, more family members being killed by family members, and you will see more poverty,” Cayetano said.(Of course, criticisms of EJKs will stop once you stop the campaign against illegal drugs.)

“There is no middle ground when it comes to the problem on drugs. Kailangan labanan mo talaga (There is an urgent need to fight illegal drugs)… Everyone knows that drugs are destroying lives,” he added.

Cayetano had earlier called for the resumption of the government’s anti-drug campaign and to turn it into the “people’s war against drugs.”

He stressed the need for a more holistic approach to sustain and intensify the government’s initiative to end the drug menace which he threatens the people’s security.

The Philippines and the Filipinos can benefit more if the re-launching of the campaign against drugs involves everyone and if we look at it in a more holistic way,” he said.