Govt launches anti-drug war documentary ‘Gramo’
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Wed, 11 Dec 2019 09:17:58 +0000
THE government on Wednesday launched a documentary film tackling President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on illegal drugs, amid human rights concerns about the surge of alleged extrajudicial killings (EJKs) in the country.
Secretary Martin Andanar, head of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), presented to the media a documentary entitled: “GRAMO”; and a magazine “Saving the Future of A Nation: Countering Hard Drugs.”
“We hope that both the documentary and the magazine will help enlighten everyone on the whole-of-nation approach the government is taking to address the problem of illegal drugs,” Andanar said in his speech during the launch.
“Gramo” is an hour-long documentary produced by the PCOO that analyzes the accomplishments gained by the administration in its war on drugs. It will be televised on state-run People’s Television Network Inc. on Thursday, at 7 p.m., simulcast in PCOO-managed social media pages.
The magazine “Saving the Future of a Nation: Countering Hard Drugs” features the key performance indicators on the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign that likewise zeroes in on the harmful social effects brought about by illegal drugs.
Andanar said that the launch of the documentary and magazine was meant to show to the public the efforts of Duterte in saving the future of the nation.
He said that despite the negative portrayal perpetuated by detractors, the
administration stood firm in its mandate to rid the country of illegal drugs, as well as corruption.
“Criticisms have been made with regards to this matter, in part through the proliferation of misinformation and fact-twisting by the oppositionists and other interest groups,” Andanar said.
“Despite this, the Duterte Administration will remain firm in its mandate and obligation to realize a drug-free and corruption-free Philippines,” he added.
Andanar reiterated and affirmed that the administration would remain steadfast in protecting and preserving human rights and dignity in official police operations.
“Reports on the numbers of individuals who surrendered and were admitted to the reformation program, and children who were rescued from illegal drug-related activities are triumphant achievements for both the government and the civil society,” Andanar said.
“We will continue to implement strong law enforcement with consistent adherence and observance of human rights and dignity through rescue, rehabilitation, reformation, and ridding drug war operations of corruption,” he said.
Duterte has overseen a narcotics crackdown in which police have killed more than 6,000 suspected drug offenders since he was elected three years ago.
Rights groups, however, say the actual number of dead is at least three times higher.
Government has repeatedly denied involvement in summary killings, saying drug suspects killed in police operations had resisted arrest. CATHERINE S. VALENTE