Raffy Tulfo: Duterte’s war on drugs a failure

Although senatorial candidate Raffy Tulfo still considers President Rodrigo Duterte a friend, he admitted that he does not agree with all of his policies, particularly on the war on drugs.

“[Ang war on drugs] definitely a failure. Siya mismo ang umamin noon. Kasi sinabi niya, in six months time, maso-solve na niya ang problema sa drugs. Pero hindi nangyari ‘yon,” said Tulfo.

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([The war on drugs] is definitely a failure. He himself admitted then. Because he said, in six months, he will be able to solve the drug problem. But that did not happen.)

“Lately, siya mismo ang umamin na, ‘Hindi ko pala kaya. Akala ko kaya.'”

(Lately, he himself has admitted, ‘I can’t do it. I thought so.’)

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Rather than an iron hand, Tulfo wants to focus on the rehabilitation of those with drug problems. Thus, Oplan Tokhang would have been okay to rehabilitate them for use, as long as it is done properly.

Raffy Tulfo also stressed that he used to favor the death penalty for those who violate drug laws but said that his position has changed.

Raffy Tulfo: Duterte’s war on drugs a failure

“As time goes on, nakikita ko na merong problema kasi itong death penalty anti-poor ‘yan,” he explained.

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(As time goes on, I see that there is a problem because this death penalty is anti-poor.)

“Kasi kapag mayaman ka… kaya mo mag-hire ng pinakamagagaling na mga abogado. More often than not, you will get away with it. Kapag pulube ka, pobre ka… kahit wala kang kasalanan, kulong ka at kapag minalas-malas ka… bitay… wala ka [kasing] pambayad sa abogado.”

(Because when you are rich, you can hire the best lawyers. More often than not, you will get away with it. When you are a beggar, you are poor. Even if you are innocent, you are imprisoned, and when you are unlucky, death penalty. Because you cannot pay a lawyer.)
Raffy Tulfo is running for senator under the party of presidentiable Senator Manny Pacquiao.
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