Of all the issues raised against the former and now detained president, it is the bank records of his family that irks and cause him to turn berserk. He portrayed himself to be poor and without riches despite his being a lawyer and a mayor for decades. He ruled with an iron fist wielding power with guns and goons who enforced his bloody war on drugs in his city.
Those tagged as users and pushers were reportedly warned to stop their lifestyle of being in the drug trade. Those who do not follow the stern admonition are reportedly advised to leave the city, else, they would be shoot and thrown elsewhere. That was his way of cleaning his city from the evils of illegal drugs.
Over the years of his reign as mayor, he was able to build an image of a purported drug-free city where peace and public safety were the seal of his governance. People lauded and supported his bloody anti-illegal drugs program. It was a program that puts every suspected drug-user and drug pusher as unworthy to live.
It is reportedly difficult for suspects to evade the ruthless means as the informers are reportedly just among the people in the community and are not identified as agents of the law. Once targets are identified, a different group would carry-out the elimination of the suspects. The perpetrators could not be caught as the police are part of the entire system. The culprits appear beyond the arms of the law as the police and law enforcers were often looking the other way as the executioners perform their mission.
It was only when the justice department under then justice secretary Leila De Lima conducted an investigation into the operations of a reported Davao Death Squad that untold information regarding the bloody drug war in the city caused alarm and concern to many people across the country. It also encouraged people who were part of the bloody drug was to come out and tell their stories about the ways surrounding the operations.
The investigation was ignited by the growing deaths not just of suspected drug users and pushers. People who openly criticize and oppose the bloody drug was were made targets for elimination according to reports from concerned observers in the communities. Even media people and journalists were subjected to threats for their life merely due to their opposition or non-conformance with the bloody drug war. Those who could not bear the threats preferred silence. The fearless media reporters and commentators were unfortunately sent to kingdom come.
In the period when the then mayor became president, the bloody drug war of his city were replicated and made nationwide. It was after the expiration of his term as president and the presidential immunity from suit that issues over his unexplained bank accounts as well as his children that were brought to the limelight. This time, the goons could no longer brag on the president whose unexplained riches, power and influence are no longer a thing they could bank on.
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