Babe's Eye View article

It used to be guns, goons and gold—but now it’s guns, goons and drugs with the US State Department’s very serious charge that money from drug smuggling could affect the outcome of the May elections. Obviously, this warning should not be taken lightly by the Philippine government.

The yearly International Narcotics Control Strategy Report has been consistent in naming the Philippines as a strategic transshipment point for drugs due to our 7,100 islands and our vast coastline which, at 36,289 kilometers, is almost two times longer than that of the United States (at 19,924 kilometers).

All kinds of smugglers continue to take advantage of our country’s porous borders that make it so easy for anybody to slip in drugs, guns and even terrorists within our territory. Previous INCS reports identified the Philippines as a primary source of shabu (methamphetamine) to Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the US.

And now, even transnational drug groups from West Africa are infiltrating the country, turning OFWs intro drug couriers to Asian countries. Remember the female OFWs suspected for drug mules to China? Reports say 197 Filipinos are serving sentences for drug trafficking while 63 are now on death row for drug smuggling in China.

People already know that drugs has become a billion-dollar industry in this country, but the latest State Department report made it even more apparent just how lucrative the drug trade has become with PDEA placing it at $6.4-$8.4 billion annually. Concerns are naturally well placed that drug money could be used in the forthcoming elections especially in the local level. With the election fever expected to get even more heated up when the local campaign season officially begins on the 27th, it’s not so farfetched for guns, goons and drugs to become swing factors in the equation.

Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales had admitted receiving reports that local politicians are involved in the drug trade (most likely in cahoots with police and military scalawags), while Nationalist People’s Coalition senatorial candidate Tito Sotto, the erstwhile Dangerous Drugs Board chief, said Malacañang has a list of elected officials suspected of involvement in drugs. Sotto insists though that the list does not include those running for national positions from senator to president—but then who can really tell?

The fact of the matter is, this drug menace has been going on for a long time and has pervaded almost all sectors of society. I remember 10 years ago, a Filipino business associate who took a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong to San Francisco. Upon arriving in the US, he was made to go through a secondary inspection and was subjected to all kinds of interrogation and was eventually forced to stay overnight at the Customs holding area simply because US authorities received an anonymous tip that he was carrying drugs.

This associate was only able to call a lawyer the next day—but not before going through a hellish experience with US Drug Enforcement Agency officials opening every single item in his luggage—but authorities found nothing. I guess the only thing that saved him was his prayers and his rosary. In the end, the US Customs official had nothing to offer for all the trouble he went through except to say, “I’m sorry, but the Philippines is known as a transshipment point for drugs.”

Those who are traveling especially to the US should be careful because it would be so easy for anyone to just slip something inside their hand carry. Or worse, anyone who has an axe to grind could just give a tip to authorities against anybody and be made to go through a humiliating experience.

People from Colombia, Mexico and Guatemala know what it is like to come from a country under watch by the US DEA or blacklisted as a drug haven. Which makes a lot of people unconvinced that the US does not have a list of “suspected mid- and high-level drug dealers” including the names of local politicians as Sotto and others are insisting.

As a matter of fact, the US even has a so-called “Clinton list” containing the names of people banned from doing business in the US or with Americans and these include governors, businessmen, paramilitary groups. In 1995, then US President Bill Clinton created an executive order targeting foreigners involved in drug trafficking and money laundering because they are believed to be threats to US national security, hence, the term “Clinton list.”

Rather than just giving a very generalized report, it is incumbent upon the US to disclose to the authorities just who are these people suspected of being big-time drug runners and traffickers so they can be watched. Better yet, authorities should disclose the names of politicians involved in the drug trade so voters will be educated and enlightened on who they should elect in May.

And since we’re on the subject of disclosure—the US Federal Aviation Administration should put New York’s JFK international airport under Category 3 like what they did with the Philippines which they placed under a category 2 rating. Last Tuesday, an idiotic air traffic controller allowed his son to direct planes and cleared them for takeoff from the JFK control tower. We’re told this is the second time the controller had done this caper. The first time was in February with his daughter directing air traffic. The stunt was not only stupid but dangerous.

Anyway, going back to the subject of drug money, it would be disastrous if Filipinos elected a president who gets into Malacañang through the largesse of the drug lords. And the worst part—without him even knowing it.