A local faith-based group says it will respond to calls to help the Philippines fight a war on drug abuse which has spurred worldwide controversy.
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Budi Waseso, chief of Indonesia’s national anti-narcotics agency (BNN), said late on Tuesday that the agency was in the process of adding weapons, investigators, technology, and sniffer dogs to its arsenal as it steps up law enforcement efforts in one of the region’s biggest narcotics markets. Budi added that the consumption and sale of narcotics in this country is a phenomenon as much extended as in the Philippines, therefore both nations might collaborate in logistics and advice.
It has stepped up executions of convicted drug traffickers, including foreigners, triggering worldwide outrage. The so-called hard hand politics of Duterte and the impunity granted to police officers and civilians, to kill traffickers, generated a wide rejection in the global community for these extrajudicial executions.
The announcement came on the heels of comments made by Waseso at a BNN press conference, seemingly calling on the country to follow the ruthless path pursued by the Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte and start its own drug war, as the BBC reports. “Yes I believe so”.
Almost 2,400 people have already been killed in the campaign against illegal narcotics trade since Duterte came to the power in May.
To justify his answer, he added: “The life of a dealer is meaningless because (he) carries out mass murder. How can we respect that?” he asked.
The business group also mentioned the investors’ concern on upholding the rule of law, following the increased number of killings in the Philippines during the heightened anti-illegal drug campaign of the Duterte administration.
“Our punishments have to be in accordance with our law and with national and global standards”, said spokesman Slamet Pribadi.
Earlier this week, US President Barack Obama said that he would like to talk to Duterte about the issue.
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Indonesia has already taken a tough stance on drug dealing in past years, with many drug offenders from both locally and from different parts of the world convicted and set to face firing squads in the country.
