IT’S been nearly three months since Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II brought to Congress several witnesses who alleged—even submitting sworn statements—that Senator and former justice secretary Leila de Lima received money from at least one drug lord, Kerwin Espinosa. It was even high drama when her former lover and driver-bodyguard, Ronnie Dayan, disclosed details of their relationship and how the former justice secretary asked him to get P8 million from Espinosa for her senatorial campaign funding. Aguirre’s failure to prosecute De Lima will mean the failure of President Duterte’s war against illegal drugs. During Thailand’s very similar campaign against illegal drugs, its prison population swelled 9 percent from 167,142 in 2004 to 210,855 by 2008. If we use a similar 9 percent growth rate, our prison population will grow to 155,000 in four years.

Source: Manila Times January 12, 2017 16:17 UTC