GORDON HOPES FOR BETTER PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE GOV'T AND THE PEOPLE IN THE FIGHT VS CRIMES

With the start of the New Year, Senator Richard J. Gordon is hoping for a closer coordination and communication between the government and the people in order to increase ways to overcome the challenges and win the battle against crimes and illegal drugs.

Gordon explained that with the participation of a united country and the Filipino, the campaign against crimes and illegal drugs will be even more successful.

"With the New Year, we hope that the government will have closer partnership and communications with the population so together we can join forces in the battle against crimes, bring perpetrators to justice and show that the rule of law continues to prevail. We can better apprehend and obtain convictions against perpetrators of vigilante killings, including rogue policemen and any criminal through the continuous participation of the people," he said.

The senator, chair of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, earlier pointed out that people must be part of the process of change. This was contained in the committee report that he submitted to the Senate on the investigation, in aid of legislation, that his committee conducted on recent and rampant killings.

"To effectively put an end to the killings with impunity, people must be part of the process of change. People must organize village watch groups to guard against crimes, particularly the influx of drug dealers and pushers, in their respective areas. The people themselves should be empowered to help transform their respective areas into "drug-free" neighborhoods where their families may safely reside," he said in the report.

Gordon, former Olongapo mayor, noted that his anti-illegal drugs campaign in Olongapo City was successful with the help of the Barangay Anti-Narcotics Group.

"In the old days in Olongapo, I had the Barangay Anti-Narcotics Group who had kids in school and people in the community who helped me weed out drug pushers. We drove them away from Olongapo. It has been proven that when people participate, the effort will succeed," he said.

Gordon stressed that it is time to replace the citizens' growing apathy with energized people participation as the government continues its fight against crimes and illegal drugs.

"This is a golden opportunity to show the people that under our democracy, we are neither helpless nor hopeless. There is strength not just in numbers but also in consolidated efforts; the key is to maximize and harmonize these symbiotic endeavors to achieve optimum results. We must synergize and work together to solve the problem on the rampant killings in the country," he said.