What drugs do

I have been a fan of Phillip Seymour Hoffman even when he was just starting out in Hollywood. I enjoyed his performances in "Twister" and "Scent of a Woman". He then honed his craft even more in "Boogie Nights", "The Big Lebowski" and "Mission Impossible III." But his crowning achievement was for his portrayal of Truman Capote, for which he was rewarded with the prestigious Oscar. The last film I saw him in was in "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" where I felt he was once again in top form. He really fit the part of what I call a pseudo-villain.

When I heard about his death, I was actually afraid that it would be another one of those Heath Ledger moments, where the first thing that came to my mind was a drug overdose. I don't know why, but that's the first thing that comes to my mind when I hear of a famous actor dying. And true enough, it was. Although unofficial, the presence of heroin and the needle still stuck to his arm speaks volumes. Res ipsa loquitur, to be precise. This is where I am totally baffled.

Why would these gifted actors - Ledger and Hoffman - be into drugs when they are at the top of their career? Ledger had just finished "The Dark Knight" portraying the iconic Joker when too was discovered dead at his home. Hoffman has an Oscar at home, and continues to have project left and right. These people are definitely not destitute. They have significant others who share their lives. Hoffman even has three children with his present partner. They couldn't ask for more. So why do drugs?

Then again, this is not new to the world of Hollywood. It is just beyond me why there is even a need to get into drugs. I did read that Hoffman was into drugs at a young age, when he was still a nobody. It probably came back to haunt him. This is what drugs do. They destroy lives in the worst possible ways. They do not choose their victims. Rich or poor, famous or anonymous. Which is why the presence of the Sinaloa drug cartel in the country is of great concern.

Over the past few months, authorities have been conducting raids on suspected drug laboratories and arresting people, leading to shocking the discovery that the notorious cartel is alive and well in the Philippines. They know how far their money and eventually, influence can take them over here, which is why they have set up shop. I don't believe they have just one drug laboratory in the country, which was raided a few months back. There are others, probably more clandestine and "protected" that still operate. This is a concern of everyone, not just the authorities. We need to be very vigilant against illegal drugs, lest one of our own become another victim. The country cannot afford to be turned into the cartel's hub in the region. Not the investors we would want to see.