PNP: ‘Tokhang’ to relaunch when rogue cops are gone

LAOAC, PANGASINAN—The Philippine National Police chief on Thursday said the relaunching of the war on drugs  “may be today, tomorrow, [or] next weekend.”

“The plan for the resumption of the drug war is still in the works. It is being hammered out. If it’s done, we can relaunch,” PNP Director General Ronald dela Rosa told a news conference here.

“I’m just waiting for feedback from my commanders if they are ready,” Dela Rosa said. “Being ready means the campaign won’t be undermined by unscrupulous elements of the police and all drug enforcement units in all levels of command will be manned by persons whose integrity are beyond question.”

The PNP would be “more careful” this time, he said, adding that he had learned lessons from the impact and criticisms drawn by the original war on drugs.

President Rodrigo Duterte suspended the war on drugs in January after a series of scandals involving the police force that carried out the campaign, including the kidnapping for ransom and murder of a South Korean businessman.

On Tuesday, he said he was calling the police back to the campaign because of the resurgence of the illegal drug trade, but only select officers would be assigned to the crackdown.