PNP open to modifying war on drugs

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said it is open to recalibrating the war on drugs after Vice President Leni Robredo earlier called for a reassessment of one of the Duterte administration’s centerpiece campaigns.

“In any government approach, dapat (it should be) dynamic because time changes. Ako personally, I would like to open up options,” Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa, PNP officer-in-charge, said in a press briefing at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

“Kasi (Because) we had a drug war which I think is very successful, but if there is a need to recalibrate and maybe touch a few points, study it, then the PNP is open to it,” he said.

READ: Robredo: I said reassess – not stop – drug war

Just last week, Robredo accepted President Rodrigo Duterte’s designation for her to co-chair the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) alongside Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency chief Aaron Aquino.

The PNP is one of the 20 member agencies of ICAD under the law enforcement cluster.

Gamboa said the members of the ICAD will make Robredo “as comfortable as possible” in her new position.

Earlier, Aquino said Robredo can focus on the rehabilitation and reintegration and  advocacy clusters of the committee, while he can supervise the law enforcement and justice clusters.

He also mentioned suggestions from other parties for Robredo not to join anti-illegal drug operations, as dared by Aquino for her to have a better understanding of the anti-narcotics campaign.

“As a matter of fact, we generals do not join anti-illegal drug operations,” said Gamboa.

“When being a co-chairperson of the ICAD, it encompasses a lot of things. I hope she would not only concentrate on law enforcement because as presented, mas marami actually dapat doon sa (there are more things to do on the) advocacy and rehabilitation,” he concluded. /gsg