by: Usain Bolt - November 19, 2024

In the recent senate hearing of the House of Representatives on Duterte's War on Drugs, Senator Robin Padilla made headlines when he defended the former President Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial war on drugs. When Padilla’s remarks were expected given how close ties to Duterte, the expression strikes a particularly controversial note when he argued with the anti-drug campaign was justified the circumstances of Filipino people.

However, as someone with firsthand experience of the justice system's treatment of those caught up in its pace, there’s an argument to be made that Padilla’s defense of Duterte’s drug war, while well-intentioned, ignores a fundamental issue, the systemic injustices that disproportionately affect the marginalized and vulnerable, especially in the criminal justice system.

The Duterte administration’s approach, which prioritized police-led crackdowns and out of court killings, was not a war on drugs it was a war on the poor. Duterte’s hardline expression, and the execution of his policies, served to further entrench the class divides in the country, while failing to address the root causes of addiction and crime.

Padilla, a former actor turned politician, has positioned himself as a strong defender of Duterte's campaign reflecting the former president’s belief that the ends justified the means. He argues that the drug trade is an existential threat to Filipino society one that must be crushed by any means necessary.

Moreover, Padilla's defense of drug war fails to grapple with the collateral damage left in its wake. For every drug lord caught, how many innocent lives were destroyed? How many families were torn apart by the sudden loss of a father, a son, a brother? As someone who has seen the inside of the penal system, I can attest to the fact that the war on drugs did nothing to reduce recidivism or truly rehabilitate its targets. Instead, it created a culture of fear and distrust, more isolating who is already on the trust.

Padilla, in his remarks, frames the drug war as a battle for national survival, a necessary evil to protect the sanctity of Filipino lives. But this express mask a deeper issue: the failure of the government to provide meaningful support for rehabilitation, mental health services, and economic opportunities that could prevent people from turning to drugs in the first place. Without addressing these systemic issues, we’re merely treating the symptoms, not the disease. `

Padilla’s position, shaped by his loyalty to Duterte, is understandable, but it is ultimately flawed. True leadership requires the courage to confront uncomfortable truths and take a hard look at the damage caused by our policies. Only then can we begin to build a justice system that genuinely serves the people, one that seeks to heal rather than harm.