PNP urges critics to see ‘sincerity’ of police in drug war

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde on Tuesday urged critics from the international community to see the “sincerity” of the police in the government’s drive to wipe out illegal drugs in the country.

Albayalde’s pronouncement follows the report of the London-based rights group Amnesty International urging the United Nations to conduct an “independent, impartial, and effective” investigation on the drug war, claiming that “extrajudicial executions” still continue during the campaign.

READ: As killings go on, Amnesty International demands urgent probe of Duterte drug war

“Siguro ang pansinin naman nila ‘yung sincerity natin, sincerity natin (Maybe they should look at our sincerity) on how we conduct police operations within the bounds of the law,” the PNP chief said in a press briefing at Camp Crame.

He said this sincerity is shown in the PNP’s sanctioning of officers found to have violated the law in conducting anti-drug operations.

“In fact kinukulong pa natin ang mga sarili nating pulis kapag sila talaga ay nagkamali or nakita natin na mayroong pangaabuso,” he also said.

(In fact we jail our own police officers if they were found to have committed violations or abuse.)

Albayalde said the murder charges against three police officers in the death of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos in August 2017 is a “very good example” of the PNP not tolerating police officers found to have abused their authority.

READ: 3 cops convicted of murdering Kian

“That’s a very good example that we do not tolerate abuses of our people. Siguro ‘yun ang tingnan nila (That’s where they should look at), ‘yung positive side ng ating ginagawa (the positive side of what we do) on our campaign against illegal drugs,” he said.

While Albayalde said he respects the report of Amnesty International, he alleged that the group could only be making the deaths in the drug war a political issue, as also earlier claimed by Malacañang. (Editor: Julie Espinosa)

READ: Palace says Amnesty International politicizing drug killings