AN OPEN LETTER TO THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES.

Madam Vice President, Leni Robredo, 

Office of the Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines,

Manila, 

Philippines

Dear Madam Vice President Leni,

I am quite shocked to hear your latest ramblings, when you said that the ‘War on Drugs’ an initiative of President Rodrigo Duterte is apparently ‘not working’

I beg to disagree with you Ma’am for a number of reasons.

Since the War on Drugs was first launched by the President back in 2016, the reports from the PNP are very clear, that crime had fallen by as much as 50% in some areas.

The latest news from the #RealNumbersPH campaign from the government, clearly and accurately keep the Filipino public updated with the latest figures from billions of pesos worth of Shabu taken off the streets, drug making equipment to laboratories shut down, all through the War on Drugs Initiative.

According to a report by the Philippine government to the UN, which is based on accurate facts:

*1.3 million drug-users surrendered

*132,152 anti-illegal drugs operations and has "yielded 190,489 arrests-including high value targets, and even govt workers."

In fact, according to the PH Govt, law enforcement agencies has seized total of $667 Million of methamphetamine and $498.96 million worth of controlled precursors and essential chemicals and laboratory equipment.

This in turn, means the streets are safer and I have heard many Filipinos tell me that they feel safer too, there is now less chance of being robbed by somebody desperate for their next fix of Shabu, or indeed having your car stolen in car-jacking etc.

There are also reports from OFW’s are, that there is no longer news from relatives that drugs are being sold at Barangay level. Their children in the Philippines, don’t have to walk past the local drug dealer on the way to school or when walking in the Barangay.

Also more resources have been spent on drug rehabilitation centres. I even watched a documentary from the UK, where a lady in the Philippines, admitted that she was a former Shabu addict, but had given up Shabu, as the Mayor told everyone too. She now spends her time looking after her kids instead of looking for her next hit.

Even one life saved, one less person falling into the trap of Shabu, means, contrary to your claims, the War on Drugs is working very well indeed Ma’am.

I hope you can tell the truth, and appreciate what President Duterte is trying to achieve for the good of the Filipino people, rather than this fake news you keep telling to the international community and the media.

Thank you ma’am,

Best regards

Malcolm Conlan, 

London, UK