The “chairman” is how jail guards and inmates refer to Richard, a short and lean 45-year-old man with tattoos on his left arm that mark his 12 years in prison. When someone accuses you of being in [the illegal trade], you’ll end up having to prove your [innocence] in court,” Richard added. Although his situation could easily be blamed on being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Richard believes there is a deeper purpose. “Maybe the Lord put me here to make me realize that not everyone in jail has actually done something wrong. According to Richard, he knows of a hundred former inmates who were rearrested or killed in the government’s campaign against drugs.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer December 13, 2018 21:22 UTC