SOME analysts of political and social events like to point out that jueteng and drugs — both illegal ventures — are inversely proportional as to revenues. When the illegal numbers game is making big money for its participants, the business of illegal drugs is in the doldrums. When the drugs industry is making a killing, jueteng is asleep.
It is true that small-time operators may try to dabble in these illegal activities on their own, but it is almost a cinch that they will fail. Drugs, jueteng, protection racket and government contracts that notch 4,200 percent return on investment such as the Pharmally-DBM deal will need strong connections with the very top of the government totem pole to succeed.
And is it a coincidence that drugs, jueteng and trading in illegal firearms are on the rise a few months before the national elections?
‘All the more reason for President Duterte to order all law enforcement agencies to redouble their efforts at fighting illegal drugs. This is a campaign promise in 2016 that he obviously failed to deliver.’
Consider the following: Drug ring leader Xu Youha and three companions were killed in an operation of law enforcers in Candelaria, Zambales following a buy-bust operation involving one kilo of shabu.
Three other Chinese suspects were arrested in nearby Bataan, leading to the seizure of another 80 kilograms of “shabu” worth P544 million. Police identified those arrested as Qing Chang Zhou, 37; Cai Cai Bin, 49; and Longcai Chang, 45. All of them are from Fujian, China and residents of Binondo, Manila.
This brings the total confiscated “shabu” to 580 kilograms with the total value of P3.944 billion, making it the biggest drug haul in 2021 so far.
Then, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Armed Forces, and Bureau of Customs confiscated some 48 kilos of shabu worth P331.2 million in an operation in Imus, Cavite on Sept. 9.
A second buy-bust operation in Bacoor, Cavite, by the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, PDEA and BOC neutralized Basher Bangon Pangcoga of Cagayan de Oro City, and Danilo Untavar Tampogaw of Dasmariñas, Cavite, allegedly suppliers of drugs in Visayas and Mindanao.
Authorities recovered a kilo of suspected shabu which was the subject of the operation, and 180 kilos of the illegal contraband valued at P1.2 billion.
Add to these criminal incidents is the recent seizure by the police of hundreds of rifles, short firearms and ammunition from a high-profile gunrunner.
These events might suggest a surge in high-stakes crime ventures at a time when certain politicians are in need of big money for their coming election campaigns.
All the more reason for President Duterte to order all law enforcement agencies to redouble their efforts at fighting illegal drugs. This is a campaign promise in 2016 that he obviously failed to deliver.
