Sounds alarmist? May be so. But the statistics on crime resulting from drug use is getting alarming. How else will we take the news of a drug crazed son battering and raping his own mother? What can turn a person, raised in a Christian family, to do such unthinkable act? How many reports of murders, and theft were reported as drug related? How many buy-bust operations tested positive, and how many legal searches turned out volumes of illegal drugs from homes of suspected illegal drug dealers? How can illegal drugs turn out in the most guarded institution like jail facilities?

The situation in Bohol calls for real action now not just by law enforcers and agencies concerned but by every citizen in the community. Prevention of illegal drug use is best done in the family and by the community. When illegal drug trade is allowed to become an institution by the indifference of the family and community, it becomes a way of life for a number of people and it is most difficult to eradicate. When this happens drug trade can challenge government and attack our social institutions – our family, our schools, etc., drug money can finance the election of corrupt government officials and thus drug bosses become “king makers.” When all of these are happening, that is narco-politics reigning.

No illegal drug activity can happen without the knowledge of the family or of the community. And no big time drug operation can happen in a locality without the knowledge of local government officials or the law enforcers. But knowledge alone without action cannot stop the illegal drug proliferation. On the other hand, indifference and worse, accepting money from drug dealers to keep silent and doing nothing about it are the best way to promote narco-politics. The worst is when local officials and law enforcers become the protectors of illegal drug operation. During the meeting of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) last Tuesday the Agent in charge of the PDEA office in Bohol reported most of the illegal drug cases filed in court have resulted to acquittals because of technicalities –testimonies and evidences not corroborating the facts of the case as presented or witnesses withdrawing from the case. Clearly there are lapses by the prosecution in these cases.

In the same meeting of the PPOC, PDEA Agent Egam admitted that her office has received reports of law enforcers and government officials who are protecting illegal drug operation in the province. But of course receiving reports is one thing that is easy but gathering evidences enough to file cases in court against these law enforcers or government officials is another and is a difficult thing to do. This is the time when family and the community should take the law into their own hands when it comes to illegal drugs. What we mean is for family to volunteer any member who is addicted to illegal substance use for rehabilitation and for the community to help provide the necessary evidence to bring illegal drug traffickers to court or to conviction of the crime they are charged with. The situation in Bohol today calls for decisive action. Let not the illegal drug traffickers and corrupt law enforcers and government officials triumph by our indifference and inaction. Let not our indifference and inaction today bring narco-politics to Bohol and the Philippines tomorrow.