Albayalde: Gov’t ‘definitely’ winning 3-year-old ‘war on drugs’

ANOTHER STATISTIC A victim in the war on drugs is stretchered away from a house at Vista Verde Subdivision in Caloocan City in January 2017. —INQUIRER PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The government is winning its war against illegal drugs.

This was the declaration of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Oscar Albayalde on Monday or three years after the showpiece anti-criminality campaign of the Duterte administration was launched.

“Palaging tinatanong kung (They always ask if) we are winning the war against illegal drugs. Definitely, we are,” Albayalde said in a press briefing at Camp Crame, Quezon City.

According to Albayalde, improvement of peace and order in the country best manifests the government’s victory in the drug war.

He admitted, however, that there is still much to be done to make the Philippines drug free before President Rodrigo Duterte finishes his term in 2022.

“We cannot quantify the problem on illegal drugs. But what I am sure is hindi pa tapos ito (this is not yet done),” he said. “If we have to double-time, magdo-double-time tayo (we will double time).”

PNP data shows that from July 2016 to May 2019, some 6,600 suspects have been killed in its anti-drug operations nationwide. Additionally, 50 police officers were also killed during drug stings.

READ: 6,600 killed in war vs drugs from July 2016 to May 2019 — PNP

Albayalde said the deaths of police officers prove that some drug suspects put up a fight with authorities contrary to claims of human rights groups. (Editor: Katherine G. Adraneda)