Sen. Leila de Lima (Photo from her Facebook page)
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) “set aside the fact that innocents continue to die because of this murderous drug war” when it said the Philippines was winning the campaign against drugs, detained Sen. Leila De Lima said on Wednesday.
De Lima issued the statement on Wednesday, two days after Gen. Oscar Albayalde, PNP chief, said the government was “definitely” winning the war against drugs, three years since it took off.
“They always ask if we are winning the war against illegal drugs. Definitely, we are,” Albayalde, speaking partly in Filipino, said on Monday.
READ: Albayalde: Gov’t ‘definitely’ winning 3-year-old ‘war on drugs’
De Lima, who has been detained in Camp Crame since February 2017 on drug-related charges, said the declaration was made to “justify the brutal killings.”
“They conveniently set aside the fact that innocents continue to die because of this murderous drug war. Three-year-old Myka Ulpina was the latest casualty. Myka was killed after suffering a gunshot wound to the head during a police raid targeting her father, Renato Dolofrina, in Rizal on June 30,” De Lima said.
The child was killed after being shot in a crossfire between suspected drug pushers and police officers.
READ: 3-year-old girl hit in drug buy-bust crossfire dies
“Ito ba ang panalo para sa gobyernong ito? Ang pagpaslang sa isa na namang inosenteng bata tulad ni Myka, at sa libo-libong mahihirap na Pilipino?” De Lima said.
[Is this what the government considers a victory? The killing of an innocent child like Myka and the killing of thousands of poor Filipinos?]
De Lima also pointed out that billions of drugs continued to be smuggled into the country.
“Panalo ba nilang maituturing na pagkatapos ng tatlong taon, bilyon-bilyong halaga ng ilegal na droga pa rin ang naipupuslit sa bansa, habang nananatiling malaya ang mga tunay na drug lords?” De Lima said.
[Can it be considered a victory that after three years billions worth of illegal drugs continue to be slipped into the country while the true drug lords remain free?]
“Kung sabagay, sadyang binabaligtad nila ngayon ang lahat sa rehimeng Duterte. Ang inosente, ikinukulong at pinapatay. Ang kriminal, pinapalaya at pinagtatakpan. Ang para sa Pilipino, ipinamimigay sa dayuhan,” the senator added.
[Come to think, the Duterte regime deliberately reverses everything now. The innocent get are jailed or killed. Criminals are set free or excused. What’s supposed to be for Filipinos are given away to foreigners.]
“Matauhan at makonsensya naman sana sila sa kahibangang ito,” De Lima said. “End the killings now!”
[May they come to their senses and be pricked by conscience amid this delirium. End the killings now!]
(Editor: Alexander T. Magno)