Bosita bares ‘quota system’ in PNP forces cops to make illegal arrests

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

MANILA, Philippines —1-Rider party-list Representative Bonifacio Bosita alleges the existence of a “quota” system within the Philippine National Police (PNP), demanding a minimum number of drug busts per week from its officers.

The urgency leads to standard operating procedure violations, tarnishing the force’s ethics.

Bosita, a former police officer, speculated at the House committee on public order and safety hearing on Thursday that the quota system drove Antipolo police to harsh measures to arrest suspected drug dealers.

The House panel investigated the abductions of two alleged drug dealers in Antipolo, who were taken away from the buy-bust operation.

READ: Antipolo cops grilled for ‘abduction’ of drug suspects, lying before House panel 

“Based on my personal experience, ang nagtutulak kasi dito, in fairness dito sa ating mga kapatid na police personnel, eh naniniwala ako, itong mga ‘to ay sumusunod lang, meron kasi Mr. Chair na quota eh during my (time), naranasan ko po ‘yan,” Bosita said.

(What forcing them to do this, in fairness to our police colleagues, I believe is for them just to follow the order because there is a quota. I have experienced that.)

“May mali sila Mr. Chair.  Pero, ako bilang dating opisyal ng PNP, may pressure sa kanila eh, may pressure sa kanila.  Sometimes may mga bagay-bagay na hindi niyo maunawaan dahil hindi kayo pulis, so ito ‘yong napakagandang opportunity Mr. Chair na ma-address, maresolba itong isyu na ito,” he added.

(They have a mistake. But as a former PNP officer, there is pressure on our policemen. There are things that ordinary citizens may not understand because they are not policemen, and this is a good opportunity to address this, to resolve this issue.)

Bosita relayed that there was a time when he was relieved from his post because he appealed to the relatives of drug personalities in the community watchlist to surrender, as there would be a good program for drug surrenderees.

This was during the time of former president Rodrigo Duterte and his first PNP chief, retired General and now Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.  Duterte and dela Rosa implemented the controversial war against illegal drugs, which critics have deemed to be bloody and violent.

According to Bosita, their superiors would ask for accomplishments every Monday, where they were pressured to meet a quota.  The incumbent lawmaker did not divulge a figure for the quota, but he explained that he was sacked from his post because 20 of the 21 drug personalities in his jurisdiction surrendered.

“Sinisingil kami every Monday, kailangan ma-meet mo ‘yong quota, accomplishment […] so isa sa hinahanap sa aming accomplishment — di ko lang alam ngayon — ‘yong accomplishment doon sa watchlist.  So syempre, opisyal tayo, may pride, may mga kasama tayo d’yan, eh napapahiya ka dahil parang ang dating napaka-hina mong opisyal,” he explained.

(We are being asked to commit every Monday, and we need to meet the quota and accomplishment… this is one being demanded for our accomplishment. I don’t know today if this still exists, the accomplishment in the watchlist. So, because we are officials, there is pride, but there are some of our colleagues who feel embarrassed as if you are an ineffective official.)

“So out of 21 na nasa watchlist na nadatnan ko doon sa aking station, sinulatan ko lahat ‘yong families except ‘yong isa na ang kaso niya murder case, nakipag-meet ako sa kanila na sabi ko ‘mas makakaganda i-surrender nila ‘yong kanilang kapamilya na sinasabing involved sa illegal drugs, dahil may magandang programa si General Bato, then chief PNP, na kapag nag-surrender ka, mag-undergo ka ng seminar being conducted by pastors or religious leaders,” he added.

(So, out of 21 on the watchlist during my duty at my station, we need to meet the quota. I sent letters to the families except to the one who was facing murder charges. Then I met with them to surrender their family member because there was a good program under General Bato. They will undergo seminars with pastors and religious leaders.)

A few days after the suspected drug personalities surrendered, Bosita said he was fired from his post.  He said he did not think about it much until a higher-ranking official revealed that he was relieved because he allowed the persons on the watchlist to surrender “only.”

The House panel was discussing House Resolution No. 776 filed by Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop, who revealed last March 22 that two families approached him for help as their relatives were abducted in a place far from where the buy-bust operation happened.

Acop said earlier that after the hearing, more individuals informed him that the same type of operation happened to their relatives.

Several opposition figures during the time of Duterte have insisted that a quota system has been adopted in the PNP offices. Some reports claim that police officers who would complete the quota have been given monetary rewards.

READ: Police paid to kill drug suspects, plant evidence—Reuters report 

Several police leaderships have denied this, although they maintained that police officers and units are pressured to perform at their best for a successful drug war.

READ: A horrifying police quota system 

READ: Gutoc reminds cops: Don’t use drug war to frame people 

JPV/abc