The Philippine government has killed 2000+ drug dealers and addicts in the last few months. Is this the way to tackle the problem?

COL Lee Flemming — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 03:37:52 -0400

The Philippines is solving its long standing drug problem by killing dealers and addicts in an overt offensive campaign. Is this an Issue for the US? Are we obliged to interfere with this country's tactics? When is it a matter for international intervention?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 6 at 2016 3:49 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 03:49:42 -0400

Now this is my own personal opinion. I think putting the dealers six feet under is fine. As we have seen in our own country, even if jailed, they are still able to manage the trafficking and sale of drugs. Or they spend a lot of money on a crap ton of lawyers and get off with a "slap on the wrist" as it were. The addicts on the other hand can be helped and I don't think they should be given the same treatment. Now, I may be missing something to this whole thing and not quite seeing the bigger picture, but again that's my personal opinion.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Sep 6 at 2016 4:25 AM

SFC Mark Merino — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 04:25:25 -0400

In this country, the police can't even shoot an armed felon without a city being burned and looted. The sad reality is that the law abiding people, especially the elderly within those same city boundaries would go as far as to reload for the police as long as they could have peace again.

Response by 1stSgt Eugene Harless made Sep 6 at 2016 5:25 AM

1stSgt Eugene Harless — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 05:25:03 -0400

I never even heard of this issue until the President of the Phillipines called Obama a "Son of a Bitch" because of a hint that the US may want to censor him for human rights Violations. The Phillipines, is stil very much a third world country, and violence and corruption are part of its culture.
That being said out Nieghbors to the south, Mexico are a bigger threat to us as far as exporting drugs and violence.
There was a time in the US where we were very heavy handed on crime. Rape and even the theft of a horse could result in a death sentence.

Response by PO1 Brian Austin made Sep 6 at 2016 5:27 AM

PO1 Brian Austin — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 05:27:40 -0400

Obama had wanted to meet with Duterte in Laos at a Southeast Asia summit after the G20. Duterte basically called him a "son of a whore/bitch" in Tagalog (depending on the translation), if Obama was going to bring up the killings/executions of the drug dealers/users. They did not meet at the summit.

He's their version of Trump, in that he's a loose cannon and doesn't filter his thoughts and words. As he has said, the only people he's responsible to is the Filipino people.

If the US tries to make it an issue, Duterte will tell us to go to hell. He has massive support of the Filipino population, except for human rights groups of course.

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/cd9eda8d34814aedabb9579a31849474/duterte-tells-obama-not-question-him-about-killings

Duterte tells Obama not to question him about killings

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte warned President Barack Obama on Monday not to question him about extrajudicial killings, or "son of a bitch I will swear at you" when they meet in Laos during…

Response by Cpl Jeff N. made Sep 6 at 2016 6:06 AM

Cpl Jeff N. — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 06:06:03 -0400

Obama should be careful where he treads here. He routinely approves drone strikes against people that we have no "legal" right to take out. The only difference is what the people are being killed for and how they are being killed. We do it from 20,000 feet with a missile watching closely from a cameral overhead. In the Philippines they do it up close and personal, no camera needed. Neither party had a day in court, an official arrest, sentencing, legal representation etc.

BTW, I fully support Obama's use of drone strikes. I wish he were doing much more but have no issue with the extra-judicial hits we are making on suspected terrorists (and sometimes innocent bystanders/family members etc).

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Sep 6 at 2016 6:37 AM

SCPO David Lockwood — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 06:37:44 -0400

The fact of the matter here is that the Philippines has turned a blind eye for so long while the corrupt politicians and local police are getting paid off. President Duterte has taking a stand to rid the country of it's drug problems. Going about it this way does a couple of things, one it gets rid of the drug dealers and two cuts off money to the corrupt politicians who allow this to happen with no repercussions. Although I don't think, or agree, that killing people is the answer to this problem but with the overcrowding of jails in the Philippines give President Duterte with limited options.

Response by SPC Michael S. made Sep 6 at 2016 6:45 AM

SPC Michael S. — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 06:45:39 -0400

I just put this comment on the other post. Make of it what you will.

Du30 is doing what he thinks he needs to do to save his country from becoming the mexico of se asia. That being said, he talks before speaking. What he is doing to secure law and order in this this country is working, may not be right or politically correct, but it is working. He is getting rid of the drug problems here. 90,000 drug dealers have turned themselves into police. Violent crime has gone down 400% ( if you cut out the extrajudicial killing) seriously, how many people have died in Chicago this year alone, about as much as in this war against drugs here in the RP. But here there is 90 million, how many people in the Chicago area?

Response by SSgt Ray Stone made Sep 6 at 2016 6:54 AM

SSgt Ray Stone — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 06:54:29 -0400

Their problem, we have our own issues here in the great old USA

Response by PO2 Dave Cutsinger made Sep 6 at 2016 7:12 AM

PO2 Dave Cutsinger — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 07:12:45 -0400

Always horrifying to see people who would otherwise applaud our constitution and Bill of Rights also applauding such horrific tactics on a civilian population. Due Process anyone? Let me know when the war on Purdue Pharma begins. Biggest drug kingpin in North America. They produce OxyContin if you were unaware.

Response by PO2 Richard Blakey made Sep 6 at 2016 7:59 AM

PO2 Richard Blakey — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 07:59:51 -0400

only in philippines

Response by PO1 Rodolfo Garcia made Sep 6 at 2016 8:38 AM

PO1 Rodolfo Garcia — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 08:38:07 -0400

Hell no. We need to mind our own business!

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 6 at 2016 9:00 AM

Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 09:00:47 -0400

I kind wish we could do that here. But of course now if a cop shoots some thug bag. The city martyrs him tells us what an awesome guy he was and then the people burn down their section of town.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 6 at 2016 10:21 AM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 10:21:11 -0400

There's an old maxim that the only thing we learn from history is that we never learn anything from history.

You can look back at Prohibition. Any moron can tell you that when you make something that is popular illegal, you give money and power to criminals who will supply that want. And the lesson from the repeal of Prohibition is that crime syndicates which had diversified into prostitution, gambling, and other vices were able to survive and grow. Those which didn't diversify failed when alcohol was legal again.

Why are there pushers? Because the product they are pushing is expensive. It's advantageous to give away free samples, because you have a captive market when the user becomes hooked.

I don't really care what the Philippines chooses to do. They are fighting more against the cartels of criminals than they are against drugs. Again, that's the problem, power in the hands of criminals, not the drugs they sell.

I think we should immediately legalize all drugs. ALL. What would the results be?

1) The process to make cocaine is about as complex as the one to make sugar. Almost any moron can grow marijuana or poppies. So the price for drugs would drop massively. This would remove the incentive for pushers to get people hooked.
2) Up to 95% of crime in some cities is committed to get money to buy drugs. Cheap drugs means less crime. Less crime means more cops spending time stopping murders, or looking for Hillary's lost emails, or figuring out why the State dept lost $3.2 billion.
3) Peru would probably have to look to another country to take it over. About 2/3rds of Peru's GNP is tied to the drug trade.
4) The Zetas and other cartels would have to start working for a living.
5) Think of all the fuel we could save by not having the Navy and Coast Guard doing drug interdiction?

Would there be problems? Just because something is legal doesn't mean doing it doesn't have consequences. Drug use, like alcohol use, could affect your security clearance, or even your ability to hold certain jobs (airplane pilot, bus driver, almost any responsible position where someone could be injured if you are impaired.) But the world still needs people to clean toilets.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 6 at 2016 10:27 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 10:27:13 -0400

Known and Suspected drug dealers and users are being killed without due process, evidence, etc, so when you look at it from that perspective- not a good way to handle things.
Addicts who are giving themselves up are being "noted" in the records and the majority are being released and sent home because the government and most agencies do not have the resources to handle the influx of these people- so that's a fail
Innocent people are being killed in revenge or vendetta killings under the guise of being a drug dealer or user- not a win situation here
The list goes on
Drug dealers are giving themselves up in droves in some cases and drug use is down- that's a win
Drug users are giving up drugs thus reducing the demand- that is a good thing
A lot of the Filipino people are happy with the war on drugs though many may not like the methods being used- mixed feelings there, but you get the picture

I would say, give it some time and let the people decide as if my experience with Filipino's have taught me anything ( especially being married to one) is that eventually they will make their voices heard in their way to a certain extent.

Response by CPT Tom Monahan made Sep 6 at 2016 10:31 AM

CPT Tom Monahan — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 10:31:33 -0400

This is a sovereign Contry's issue. The US should not intervene.

Response by MSgt John Taylor made Sep 6 at 2016 10:32 AM

MSgt John Taylor — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 10:32:54 -0400

I don't have a problem putting dealers in the ground.

Response by GySgt Charles O'Connell made Sep 6 at 2016 10:41 AM

GySgt Charles O'Connell — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 10:41:29 -0400

"Are we obliged to interfere with this country's tactics?" No. "When is this a matter for international intervention?" When the whole of the international community wants to intervene. "Is this an issue for the U.S.?" No, unless it becomes an issue of national security, i.e. Philipine troops conduct operation on U.S. soil.

Response by SGT Jody Beach made Sep 6 at 2016 10:52 AM

SGT Jody Beach — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 10:52:20 -0400

When politics fail.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 6 at 2016 11:56 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 11:56:15 -0400

I have a couple of theories on why this "War on Drugs" is a big thing, but before I air them, I want to observe a little more and continue some of my research. With that said, I will leave a little tidbit of something here- do most people realize that Duterte's Daughter is now the Mayor of Davao and his Son is the Vice-Mayor? I think some do not.

Response by Sgt Nick Marshall made Sep 6 at 2016 12:00 PM

Sgt Nick Marshall — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 12:00:10 -0400

I fear the new direction this (the USA) country is heading towards the more likely these atrocities will happen. A strong sense of isolationism coupled with a dose of "law and order" at the expense of due process will make it more feasible for other countries to carry out similar policies. It is also a worry as to how many of these killings are unrelated to drugs (revenge, debtors, jealousies etc...)

Response by Cpl Justin Goolsby made Sep 6 at 2016 2:44 PM

Cpl Justin Goolsby — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 14:44:50 -0400

Dealers yes, addicts no. If you take out the dealers, you make it more difficult for the pushers to push the product. Yes someone will jump in to take their places, but if you make people afraid of filling those shoes, it'll be harder to find pushers. Addicts need the help though, so rehabilitation is the best route for them to get clean and become productive members of society.

Are we obliged to interfere... no, not really. Everyone deals with crime and punishment differently. The only way I could see it being a matter for international intervention is if we decided to tackle drugs and addiction on a global scale rather than on an individual basis. But even then, it has to be on a unanimous basis to stamp it out, because we can't have drugs be legal in one country and illegal in another because that's where supply and demand comes from.

Response by SFC Pete Kain made Sep 6 at 2016 4:30 PM

SFC Pete Kain — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 16:30:30 -0400

Works for me, we will see the same here sooner or later.

Response by SFC George Smith made Sep 6 at 2016 4:37 PM

SFC George Smith — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 16:37:26 -0400

they have been doing this for 35 years since Marcos was in Office... they just got serious lately...

Response by TSgt Kenneth Ellis made Sep 6 at 2016 7:20 PM

TSgt Kenneth Ellis — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 19:20:35 -0400

I talke to my niece. She is a Pinoy and lives th Tondo. She told me two senators don't like him and spreading lies. And said he is doing a good job.

Response by Alan Porter made Feb 13 at 2019 4:42 AM

Alan Porter — Wed, 13 Feb 2019 04:42:13 -0500

I never realised how bad drugs were as a kid .but now I have grown up.I c how drugs destroy people and families children and towns wellbeing.especially ice .I have done much study and observation of dealers and addicts .I have opened my pineal gland and I have awoken .I c nearly everything now .I c how drug dealers are destroying and killing kids and how they prey on their vonerabuility .how these drug users turn into criminals predators killers pedofile sex maniacts plus more.I think high profile dealers should be jailed or executed .low level dealers given one warning before hand .obey or die .they are responsible for many deaths and broken families. I think addicts should be locked in rehabilitation till they give up.if the law was execution for dealing or buying hard drugs .I think that would solve the problem .manufacture .executed no questions asked.though I think marijuana should just be legalised. Then I'm sure less people would use it regularly.amen .