WAR ON DRUGS:

A GAME OF THE GENERALS

To those not familiar, Game of the Generals is a board game, which involve two players moving pieces on a board, much like the better known game of chess.  This game, unlike chess, introduces an element of deceit and “fog-of-war”.

In a “General’s” game, the player sets up his pieces in a freeform manner, and tries to protect his flag while trying to outflank his opponent and capture his “flag” unit. Each piece belongs to one of several unit types each with varying strengths with different qualities, the exact unit type is not known to the opponent as each piece is undistinguishable from another, save for markings which only the unit owner and the referee (a neutral third person) can see.  For example, a piece known as the “5-star general” can pretty much “kill” any other opposing unit, but is vulnerable to a “spy” unit; spies however, can be killed by a “private”.  The way a player arranges his pieces and how well he presents his “poker face” to the public, are factors that come into play in this game.

This war on drugs is figuratively and quite literally a game of the Generals.  Figuratively, because there is always an element of deception, and literally because of the personalities who may be involved.

Now, what I am about to say contains a lot of speculation and opinion. A lot of this is hearsay, so take this with a grain of salt, but these rumors are so widespread now that this is what the “non-chattering” public would claim to be the truth.

The Executive Department as a Neutral Referee
Quite literally, it seems that the Executive department, under the watch of President Duterte is acting as a “Neutral Referee”—the third man in a Game of the Generals match.  The referee in this case is a non player, all he does is watch the game progress and calls out which piece wins a challenge.  He lets the players have at it with one another.  In this case, he merely watches as the drug lords, their coddlers and the low level pushers make mince meat out of one another.  He is content and satisfied to watch the players destroy one another as the narcotics trade in the country implodes from within.  And, like a mischievous referee, he would sometimes drop hints about “who” these pieces on the board really are, to the glee of the captive Filipino audience clamoring for blood.

In a word, it is “masterful” 
First, it was low level pushers, the lieutenants, dropping one by one.  The public has accepted that these deaths (I dare not glorify it with the use of the term, “Extrajudicial Killing”) were perpetrated by corrupt policemen, mayors and drug lords trying to cover any evidence.  Now, the drug lords and the mayors themselves seems to be the targets—the coddlers of the low level pushers are now the targets of their coddlers.

Who are these coddlers of the drug lords?  It seems that these are people in high places.  These are your senators and generals.  Take the case of the recently slain Melvin “Dragon” Odicta.  It is widely known (rumored) that he has connections with some powerful senators.  He spoke with DILG Secretary Mike Sueno and suggested that he surrender to the police with “some conditions”.  This didn’t help him though.  The widely circulating rumor is that he was killed by some police and military men.  The lawyers who were supposed to meet him were being prevented from coming to him.  Clearly, somebody powerful and with a high position wanted him silenced.

Who killed the Dragon?

Another example is the currently at large (or should we presume him dead?) druglord Kerwin Espinosa who has supposed links with a “senator”

Rolando Espinosa:  Look at his pitiable mug. 

I wouldn’t want to be him

Given these circumstances, all I can say is "Wow".  It looks like the Executive department decided to let the drug lords and their coddlers play a game of the generals with one another and he is the referee.  Masterful.

A Word of Advice to Drug Lords and Pushers (NSFW)

You know who you are, and you know who are after you.  You weren’t born yesterday and your predicament certainly didn’t happen overnight.

Turn yourselves over to the police, tell them who and what you know.

If this doesn’t sound enticing, please, strongly consider the alternative.  Kill your coddler.  If you are a pusher, kill the mayor who coddles you.  If you are the mayor, kill the general who coddles you.  If you are the general, please kill the senator who coddles you.  Dead men tell no tales.  Kill him first, before he kills you.

Meanwhile, the common, sit glued before their TV sets and tabloids cheering on as more and more of your kind get your well-deserved deaths.

Endnote

We’ve all heard about the Davao City bombing, I just want to say that my sympathies go out to the victims and those left behind.  Terrorism, like drugs, is one of those ills which needs to be snuffed out of our country before things go out of control.

#staystrongDavao #OneNation #thearchipelago