Coffee and Conversations: Brewing Life Stories, One Post at a Time
The issue on drugs has always been a significant concern for the law enforcement agencies in the Philippines, particularly for the Philippine National Police. Unfortunately, the number of drug-related cases continues to rise every year. At the same time, there is also an increase in the number of individuals caught violating Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
These statistics only show that there is a pressing concern for the Philippine government to focus on its war on drugs. The sad thing about this is that even high school and college students are already using these prohibited drugs. Even at a young age, they have already been exposed to the possession, use and sale of shabu, ecstasy, marijuana, meth and other types of drugs.
With this in mind, PNP National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) Chief Director Guillermo Eleazar made an effort to introduce or propose the implementation of random check on bags and lockers of students in universities or schools. This grand move by Eleazar did not receive the approval of several organizations that continue to argue the proposed random check or inspection would be a violation of the right to privacy and illegal search of the students.
According to Chief Superintendent Guillermo Eleazar, “The background is because there was a case, elementary students that were caught in possession of 20 or 30 sachets of marijuana na binebenta sa school at ginagamit pa nila so well that was the result of the inspection that [was] conducted by the teacher.”
In one interview, he emphasized that over the past twenty-three months, there were around 44,000 individuals who were arrested for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. He also mentioned that the number of people who surrendered before the authorities has already reached 234,000. He said that these numbers indicate the sad reality of the prevalence of large scale drug problem in the country.
On the alleged invasion of privacy and existence of intimidation for the proposed random checkup, Eleazar clarified that it does not always need the involvement of police officers. He stated that the teachers would make the random inspection with the presence of PTA officers.
Everyone needs to remember that under Section 2 of Republic Act No. 9165, which was executed on June 7, 2002, it is the policy of the state “to safeguard the integrity of its territory and the well-being of its citizenry particularly the youth, from the harmful effects of dangerous drugs on their physical and mental well-being, and to defend the same against acts or omissions detrimental to their development and preservation. In view of the foregoing, the State needs to enhance further the efficacy of the law against dangerous drugs, it being one of today’s more serious social ills.”
All that Chief Superintendent Guillermo Eleazar wants is to give effect to the declaration of state policy under the above-mentioned law. It has always been his primary concern to solve drug problems in the Philippines. He wanted to start with the youth sector, especially those who are in school.