Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano
MANILA (Mabuhay) − Vice presidential candidate Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday warned that the Philippines is on the brink of becoming a narco state.
“Papasok na tayo sa area na pwede maging tipping point na maging sa narco-state,” he said in a radio interview.
He said that in some areas, the drug trade is so worse that shabu is used to buy votes. There are also other areas where residents purchase illegal drugs using farm animals. He added that even in Taguig City, where his wife Lani serves as mayor, there are employees who would rather resign from their job than take a random drug test.
“You’ll never know when you’re already a narco state eh,” Cayetano claimed.
A week ago, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Arturo Cacdac confirmed narcopolitics in some areas.
Cayetano also cited the murder of then newly elected mayor of Temixco in Mexico last January 2. Anti-drug advocate Gisela Mota was killed just a day after she took office. He said in extreme cases this is how drug lords show their force.
The vice presidential candidate admitted that such events disturb him.
“You have to choose kung kanino ka pinakatakot. In my sense, I am more afraid of God than of people. Whether corruption iyan, MILF issue, I have to do my job. Si Mayor [Rodrigo Duterte] naman sabi niya, he is not afraid of dying. He has lived a full life. But that doesn’t mean that we should be careless,” he said.
“Having said that, iyong passion mo kasi for something overcomes fear eh,” he added.
Duterte and Cayetano have promised to curb crime, especially drug-related ones, in their six months in office if they both win the elections. If not, both have said that they are willing to step down from their posts. (MNS)