The drugs, the war, and the warriors

In spite of the massive information crusade about the evil of using drugs, the supplies are still flourishing

Philippines became a war zone for three years now. The government’s war against drugs started on July 1, 2016 and the president promised to end within six months. The data from PDEA was handed to him, recording more than 3 million drug addicts.

Enlisted for the war were the PNP personnel headed by then General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, skilled with Oplan Tok-tok Hangyo (TokHang), piloted in Davao City.

As of January 2019, there were 5,176 drug suspects killed and were counted as collateral damage, including Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., Samsudin Dimaukom Mayor Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog, Tanauan Mayor Antonio Halili, General Tenio Mayor Ferdinand Bote, and the Korean businessman Jee Ick-Joo. In spite of the massive information crusade about the evil of using drugs, and the ongoing war against it, the supplies are still flourishing, irrespective of whether it is in the alleys, on the streets, in the open-field parties, in prison facilities, and worse are the floating bricks of overstocked cocaine in the eastern seaboards.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte few days ago admitted that the war is not over yet as was promised to end in six months because the enemies are within the government. He also said that there are now seven to eight million Filipinos involved in drugs –a statement that PNP Director General Oscar Albayal-

With the recent facts and figures about the strength of the enemy and its mode of operations, the planned intensified war will be carried-through not with sophisticated weaponry to kill, but of brainy warriors in order to win DANNY ABRIGO Columnist

de belied, saying the data is not from the PNP.

The president’s recent details and upsizing if true, (from three million to seven million) must be an infallible index that the government has now the comprehensive knowledge as compared to the days when the war started three years back.

In his book “The Art of War”, Sun Tzu wrote: “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

Sun Tzu is one of the history’s finest military tacticians and analysts. From this writing many military and political leaders have drawn inspiration, like communist leader Mao Zedong and the American general Norman Schwarzkopf.

With the recent facts and figures about the strength of the enemy and its mode of operations, the planned intensified war will be carried-through not with sophisticated weaponry to kill, but of brainy warriors in order to win.

Drugs are rampant. War is intensified. And the warriors are improving discipline and tactics to win the battle in less collateral damage.