Pubdate: Mon, 18 Jul 2016
Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer (Philippines)
Copyright: 2016 Philippine Daily Inquirer
Contact:  http://www.inquirer.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1073
Author: Marlon Ramos

NO DOUBLE STANDARD IN DRUG WAR-PALACE

Other Suspects Urged to Prove They're Clean

WHY did the "Punisher" let alleged drug Triad boss Peter Lim live another day?

The Palace could not give the exact reason, but Presidential 
Communications Secretary Martin Andanar yesterday sought to assure 
the public that there was no double standard in the government's war 
against illegal drugs.

Lim, a wealthy businessman from Cebu, met with President Duterte in 
Davao City on Friday night as bodies of poor drug suspects continued 
to turn up in various parts of the country.

An INQUIRER count since July 1 showed at least 179 people have been 
killed in police operations against illegal drugs. Another 64 
drug-related deaths have been blamed on vigilantes. Most of the 
victims-described as drug lords and pushers-were killed in slum areas 
and looked impoverished.

Mr. Duterte, who earned the monicker "Punisher" for advocating the 
summary killings of suspected criminals when he was mayor of Davao 
City, said in a televised address on July 7 that he would execute Lim 
the minute the businessman set foot in the country on his return from 
a reported overseas trip.

The President, however, let the Cebu trader leave the regional office 
of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Authority in one piece after their meeting.

"The alleged drug lord Peter Lim has come out in the open. He [ wants 
to clear] his name and he has expressed his intention to the 
President that he will do just that," Andanar told state-run dzRV radio.

Burden now on Lim

"The burden now is [on] Peter Lim and we do encourage the rest of the 
suspects to do the same," he added.

During their conversation, the President repeated his warning to Lim 
that he would have him executed if investigation showed that he was 
the same Peter Lim, alias Jaguar, who was running the drug Triad in 
the Visayas region.

Unlike Lim, many of those killed in police operations and 
vigilante-style attacks were not given the chance to talk with the 
most powerful man in the country to defend themselves.

"I threatened to have you killed. You know, I'll really have you 
killed if I get [evidence]. I'll really finish you off," the 
President bluntly told him, according to a video of the meeting the 
government released on YouTube.

Asked why the President did not kill Lim as he had warned, Andanar 
said: "Well, Peter Lim has already expressed his intentions to clear 
his name. Let's leave it at that."

"Let's just wait until the final investigation comes out. Let's just 
wait for Mr. Peter Lim's evidence and what he can show to clear [his 
name of] this allegation," Andanar insisted.

No discrimination

He then challenged those claiming that the Duterte administration has 
been discriminating against poor drug addicts and street-level drug peddlers.

"Those questions have to be supported by facts, by empirical 
evidence," he said. "As far as we know, the operation of the 
Philippine National Police has always been in pursuit of those who 
are peddling and pushing drugs."

Andanar said Mr. Duterte was the first and only Chief Executive who 
boldly identified in public those involved in the illegal drug trade.

The President earlier named five active and retired senior police 
officials as protectors of illegal drug syndicates.

Said Andanar: "The President has even named the Level 5 drug lords . 
[who] are the highest ... in the hierarchy of those who are selling 
illegal drugs."

"As far as I can remember in the history, I have not seen a President 
who has been so brave in announcing to the public the people who are 
allegedly behind this menace of drugs," he continued.

Drug matrix

Andanar said he himself had seen the names of people on the "drug 
matrix" that Mr. Duterte showed to the public during his July 7 address.

He said the contents of the list could make people's stomachs turn. 
"What I can only tell you is that if you see the matrix, you'll 
probably say that it is really unbelievable and it will really make 
you throw up."

Andanar said the matrix showed that only a handful of people were 
behind the agony of some 1.8 Filipinos who are hooked on illegal substances.

"It's really distressing to see that only a few people are selling 
illegal drugs, but the lives of millions of our countrymen and our 
youth are being destroyed," he said.

As to the local officials who were also into the distribution of 
illegal drugs, he said Mr. Duterte would identify them "in time along 
with other persons of interest."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom