PNP welcomes move to continue ‘drug war’ under Bongbong Marcos admin

The Philippine National Police Headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City on Tuesday, June 15, 2021. Niño Jesus Orbeta/Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday said it welcomes the plan of Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos to continue the controversial “drug war” during the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Abalos earlier echoed Marcos Jr.’s intention to carry on with the brutal anti-illegal drug campaign launched during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

READ: Abalos: Drug war to be ‘as intensive as before’

PNP Director for Operations, Major General Valeriano De Leon, said it’s “a welcome instruction” from the new DILG leadership, stressing drug war contributed to the goal of creating a drug-free country.

“That is a welcome instruction from the new DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos,” he said in an ambush interview at Camp Crame. “Alam ninyo, iyong gains na ating nakamit […] ay napakalaking hakbang tungo sa isang drug-free country kaya huwag natin pabayaan ito. Mayroon pa tayong maraming gagawin.”

(You know, the gains we’ve achieved […] is a huge step towards a drug-free country, so let’s not let it go to waste. We have so much more to do.)

De Leon also disclosed that they are already assessing how better to enforce the war on drugs under the new administration.

“As I have said, this is a welcome move and that’s why [under the] Director for Operations ay pinag-aaralan nang mabuti ang mga policy na ipinatutupad nito and the lessons that we have learned in the past drug war,” he stressed.

(As I have said, this is a welcome move and that’s why under the Director for Operations, we’re studying how to improve the implemented policies by considering the lessons we’ve learned in the past drug war.)

According to de Leon, the new DILG chief’s commitment to the continued implementation of the war against drugs will further encourage police officers to uphold human rights while implementing its policies.

“The statement of Secretary Abalos is very clear. We just have to reiterate this so that iyong kanilang instruction ay matupad. Lalong lalo na iyong pag-observe ng constitutional rights at iba’t ibang procedures na we have to strictly observe,” he added.

(The statement of Secretary Abalos is very clear. We just have to reiterate this so that the instructions will be followed, especially strictly observably of constitutional rights and other procedures.)

From the day after Duterte assumed the presidential post on July 1, 2016, up to February 28 this year, a total of 6,235 drug suspects were killed in the government’s crackdown against illegal drugs, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

Human rights watchdogs, however, claim this is an underestimation of the actual figure, which they said may have breached 20,000 if drug suspects killed by unidentified gunmen and vigilantes were to be included in the count.

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KGA/abc