PNP: Human rights ‘never got in the way’ of drug war

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police reiterated on Monday that human rights “has never gotten in the way” of its campaign against illegal drugs, following a statement from United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet calling on the Duterte administration to “revoke the policies” that have led to the rising spate of deaths here in the country.

“Let me state for the record that human rights has never gotten in the way of the PNP campaign against illegal drugs and vice-versa, precisely because police anti-illegal drugs operations are consistent with Police Operational Procedures or rules of engagement that are founded on the fundamental principle to respect, protect and fulfill human rights; and to uphold the rule of law,” PNP chief Gen. Camilo Cascolan said in a press briefing.

“Despite calls by the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights to turn our back from the anti-drug campaign, we will never lower our guard against a crime that destroys families and the moral fiber of society, and certainly not while we are winning the war,” he added.

Cascolan pointed out that the government has made “great strides” in its strategy to reduce the supply of prohibited drugs that there was no reported local production of shabu in the country recently.

He added that drug trafficking activities “have been significantly checked due to pressure from police operations.”

“However, the challenge remains in the demand reduction strategy that takes more than law enforcement action, but a holistic approach by the stakeholders from the family, community, church, school, local government and the larger society,” Cascolan said.

Data from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency as of July 2020 showed a total of 5,810 drug suspects have died while 251,889 suspects have been arrested in 178,348 anti-illegal drug operations conducted since July 2016. Human rights groups, however, peg the death toll in the anti-drug campaign to a much higher number.

JE