Fighting drug trafficking in the Pilippines is a difficult task.
Honest police have to contend with the whole gamut of opposition to their tasks, from the drug traffickers themselves through to local populations who enjoy the patronage of drug barons through to police and military officials who are on the take.
This story from the Manila Standard Today gives an example of just how frustrating things can get.
Hernando Zafra, the National Police Director in Bataan, says he is in the middle of an investigation into the activities of local police whom he suspects are directly involved in the local drug trade.
To confuse the issue, the drug dealer who is allegedly paying off the policemen also enjoys the patronage of one of the local army honchos who won’t be keen on having his name aired publicly, nor in having his lucrative protection racket detroyed. This is not really a country where upsetting ranking army officers is a good idea.
To further confuse the situation, the police chief also says that only 2 of the 9 village councils in the area are cooperating with police. Guess who else is on the take?
Yet, Zafa carries on with his investigation and says it will all be finished within a month.
I hope he has life insurance.