Alliance of Concerned Teachers Rep. France Castro. (FILE PHOTO)
MANILA, Philippines — The admission of a former police official, who claimed that a “quota system” within the Philippine National Police (PNP) pressures anti-narcotics policemen into disregarding procedures, can be used as evidence in cases filed against past administration officials.
In a statement, Alliance of Concerned Teachers Rep. France Castro said that having a quota or a minimum required anti-drug operations per week could explain the “nanlaban” narrative during former president Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war.
Castro was referring to the claim of former police colonel and now 1-Rider Rep. Bonifacio Bosita, who said in the House of Representatives Committee on Public Order and Safety hearing that cops accused of abducting drug suspects before the actual buy-bust operation may have been under pressure.
“Naniniwala ako na ang ‘quota system’ na ito ay isa mga dahilan sa talamak na extra-judicial killings (EJK) at human rights violations sa panahon ng pekeng drug war ni Duterte at mukhang ginamit din laban sa mga aktibista at iba pang kritiko ng administrasyon niya,” Castro said.
(I believe that this quota system is a reason for the numerous extra-judicial killings and human rights violations during Duterte’s fake drug war, and it seems it was used against activists and other critics of his administration.)
According to Castro, Bosita’s revelation can be used as evidence before the International Criminal Court, where Duterte has been charged with the crime against humanity of mass murder due to the drug war.
“I think that Rep. Bosita’s claim can be used to further strengthen the case at the International Criminal Court (ICC) so that those most responsible for the thousands of EJKs would be held accountable,” she noted.
Earlier, Bosita said the hearing is a good avenue to understand why police officers seem to be doing shortcuts in drug operations, never mind standard operating procedures of the PNP.
Bosita was referring to the two controversial buy-bust operations conducted by the Antipolo City police in 2022, including the case where cops said that a woman was arrested at around 10:00 p.m., despite having possession of the suspect and her child as early as 6:30 p.m.
The buy-bust operation was also conducted in an area different from where cops were seen on closed-circuit television camera footage abducting the woman.
READ: Antipolo cops grilled for ‘abduction’ of drug suspects, lying before House panel
In the hearing, 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.
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.”
This was during the time of former president Rodrigo Duterte and his first PNP chief, retired General and now Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
Several opposition figures during the time of Duterte have insisted that a quota system has been present in 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 the allegation, 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