The Chiong sisters case, the Eileen Sarmenta case, and most recent, the rape and killing

of a 1-year old
baby boy in Makati. These heinous crimes among others have one thing in common aside from their
tragic ending, that is, they were all fueled by the use of illegal drugs. The convicted suspects were all
under the influence of illegal drugs when they perpetrated said heinous crimes. No ordinary man, unless
under the influence of illegal drugs, can accomplish such grave and evil acts. The commission of heinous
crimes will not stop until and unless the illegal drugs that fuel the criminal minds will be curtailed if not
totally obliterated. But how can our country achieve a drug-free community when those who demand
and supply for illegal drugs do not fear our penal laws and system?

In my opinion, the long-term solution for our seemingly unending battle againstl illegal drugs is the of
revival of death penalty to be meted against drug sellers, traffickers and even users. However, it is my
proposition that drug users convicted for the first time including juveniles shall only be subjected to
mandatory rehabilitation. In other words, there must be a balance between the recognition that an
illegal drug problem is a mental health problem but at the same time, it is one that fuels the commission
of heinous crimes, therefore the need to instill fear amongst these criminals through the imposition of
the death penalty.

But one may ask, "how about the drug users, being said that it is a mental illness to depend on illegal
drugs be addicted on it, how can the government help them aside from mandatory rehabilitation?" To
answer that question, I think it will help tolower the prices of over-the-counter prescription medicine
and make private rehabilitation centers more affordable. In other words,the governmen must make any
avenue of help more accessible for those in need, thereby preventing their option to buy illegal drugs.

Our country does not deserve to have a big portion of the youth living their lives in the dark, deprived
of a good future ahead of them. Nor does our fellow Filipinos deserve to wake up only to receive news
that someone has been raped, killed or done harm by a drug addict/s. If these drug criminals, present or
prospective, fear enough the death penalty along with their fear that our government can efficiently
execute and enforce our penal laws, then we can expect them to not continue or at least to stop their
attempt of committing any drug related crime. Because honestly, the criminals nowadays have become
in their worst forms of the devil, as we say in our vernacular "wala nang kinatatakutan ang mga 'yan",
well, I will say, except for death (legally and with due process of law, of course).