THE Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Tuesday expressed satisfaction with the results of President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on illegal drugs during his first 100 days in office.
”We know that foremost of the President’s promises was the very important issue on drugs and crimes. And on that aspect, we are very happy that he delivered,” PCCI president George Barcelon said.
Barcelon and former PCCI president and now Employers Confederation of the Philippines president Donald Dee discussed the business sector’s impression on Duterte’s achievements so far.
Malacañang says in just three months, the Duterte administration’s fight against illegal drugs left 3,441 drug dealers and users dead, including 1,347 in legitimate police operations and 22,387 drug personalities arrested in 23,474 operations under “Oplan Double Barrel” since July 1.
Under “Oplan Tokhang,” the police visited a 1,601,691 houses of drug suspects, prompting 52,812 pushers and 679,303 users to surrender themselves to the authorities nationwide, the Palace says.
The bloody war against illegal drugs also resulted in the killing of 13 policemen and injuring of 38 others. Three soldiers were also killed and eight others were injured.
Barcelon said Duterte’s request for a six-month extension of his campaign against illegal drugs was “reasonable because of the gravity of the issue.”
”Many people did not realize how rampant this drug issue is and, of course, we know very well with drugs, normally it leads to crime,” he told reporters.
He said that even the United States, which had criticized the alleged summary killings of drug suspects in the Philippines, had drug-related deaths, which were about 30,000 to 35,000 each year.
”But what I’m saying is that it’s a serious problem for any society whether developed countries or countries like us,” Barcelon said.
Barcelon and Dee said peace and order was one of the main considerations by any foreign investor before putting capital in any country.
”Don’t think that peace and order is not an issue, it’s a very, very big issue,” Dee said.
”This [campaign against illegal drugs] is the most difficult goal that the President has set for himself,” Dee said.