PASAY CITY -- Following the latest report of the Philippine National Police on the general criminality situation in the country, senator and Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Public Order Christopher "Bong" Go commended the Duterte Administration for its tough stance on criminality and illegal drugs which has contributed to a drastic decrease in the volume of crime in the Philippines since 2016.
"Una sa lahat, walang tigil dapat ang kampanya natin kontra iligal na droga, korapsyon, at kriminalidad. Ang taumbayan na ang humusga kung mas ligtas ba ngayon ang mga anak nila at walang pangamba dahil sa mga kriminal at adik," Go said in a message after filing his Certificate of Candidacy for vice president on Saturday, October 2.
Go praised the reforms and measures taken to safeguard peace and order and underlined the need to continue adhering to the course taken to sustain the gains made and ensure the long-term security of the nation.
"Hindi dapat masayang ang mga nasimulang ito kung kaya't sa susunod na anim na taon ay sisikapin nating lalong maproteksyunan ang buhay at kinabukasan ng ating mga anak," Go said.
"Alam ng taumbayan na mas ligtas ang komunidad nila ngayon dahil nasusunod ang mga batas at napo-protektahan ang kapakanan ng pinakamahihirap. Ito ang serbisyong Tatak Duterte na patuloy na ibibigay namin sa inyo," he pledged.
According to PNP Chief General Guillermo Eleazar, the Crime Solution Efficiency, or the percentage of solved cases, of the PNP rose by 86% from 26% from July 2010 to June 2015 to 49% from July 2016 to June 2021. The Crime Clearance Efficiency also increased by 81% from 38% from July 2010 to June 2015 to 68% from July 2016 to June 2021.
A case is considered cleared if the offender or at least one of the offenders has been identified and a criminal complaint has been filed against them.
Furthermore, the crime rate declined by 63% from 458,367 crimes against persons (e.g. murder, rape and physical injury) recorded from July 2010 to June 2015 to 170,168 under the Duterte Administration. The number of crimes against properties (e.g. robbery and theft) also sharply fell by 66% from 655,345 to 225,752 cases over the same periods.
Under the current administration, Mindanao saw a 71% drop from 294,299 recorded crimes to 85,646. This is followed by Luzon (excluding Metro Manila) which saw a 65% decrease from 369,824 to 128,142 and the Visayas which went down by 60% from 240,289 to 96,987. Metro Manila followed closely with a 59% decline from 209,300 to 85,145.
The PNP Chief noted that majority of the crimes were related to illegal drugs. Based on the latest figures from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, a total of P64.1 billion worth of illegal drugs and equipment were seized by authorities from July 2016 to August 2021. In the same period, 893 illegal drug dens and clandestine laboratories were also dismantled, with 22,858 barangays out of 42,045 in the country declared as drug-free.
"Importante kay Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na ma-eliminate itong problema natin sa droga. Sa nalalabing panahon niya bilang pangulo, we must be relentless and intensify our operations against illegal drugs. Sugpuin natin ang mga organisasyon at sindikato na involved sa illegal na droga," asserted Go.
The senator, who also serves as Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, recognized the use of illegal drugs also as a major public health issue that must be addressed at the individual, community, and societal level. He reaffirmed his commitment to the rehabilitation and treatment of drug dependents with the filing of Senate Bill No. 399 which mandates the establishment of a drug treatment and rehabilitation center in every province across the country.
To provide a more balanced and holistic approach to the drug problem, the bill provides for the establishment of centers which will provide care, treatment, and accommodation to drug dependents. They shall also offer after-care, follow-up and social reintegration services to assist their patients as they adjust to community life after completing their treatments.
The bill likewise places emphasis on issues that need to be addressed concurrently, such as familial and health problems that drive a drug problem, by encouraging the formation of organizations composed of parents, guardians, and immediate relatives to enhance their participation in the rehabilitation of their loved ones.
There are presently 64 drug rehabilitation centers accredited by the Department of Health with a total bed capacity of 4,840. Dr. Jose Bienvenido Leabres, program manager of the DOH's Dangerous Drugs Abuse and Treatment Program, reports an additional 11,911 beds are needed in 2021 to treat 16,751 drug dependents who are suffering from severe substance use disorders.
The figure comprises just 2% of 1,679,122 persons who use drugs in the country, according to Dangerous Drugs Board figures in 2019. An estimated 90% or 1.59 million are mild substance users, while the remaining 67,000 cases suffer from moderate substance use disorders.
"In addition to the fight for the nation's safety and security against the menace of illegal drugs, we must also direct attention towards the rehabilitation and recovery of its many victims. Drug dependents should be treated as victims in need of medical, psychological, and spiritual help. Habang patuloy ang pagpuksa sa mga drug pushers ay hindi natin pinapabayaan ang mga drug users na nais na magbagong buhay," said Go.
"Iisa ang hangarin ko at ni Pangulong (Rodrigo) Duterte---ang wakasan ang kriminalidad at iligal na droga sa ating lipunan upang makapag-iwan ng tunay na pagbabago sa bansa na ramdam ng taumbayan. Ang taumbayan na ang humusga kung mas ligtas ba ngayon ang mga anak nila at walang pangamba dahil sa mga kriminal at adik." (OSBG)
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