Former President Rodrigo Duterte. FILE PHOTO /
MALACAÑANG
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Christopher “Bong” Go asked Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Maj. Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. on Tuesday if having former President Rodrigo Duterte as the anti-drug czar will boost the government’s campaign against illegal drugs.
Go, who was special assistant to then president Duterte, raised the query during the Senate public order and dangerous drugs panel’s probe into the alleged cover-up in the multi-billion shabu haul last October.
“Prerogative naman iyan ng Presidente – ang appointing authority. Pero kung saka-sakali lang, makakatulong ba kung itatalagang drug czar si dating Pangulong Duterte?” he asked.
(It is the prerogative of the President as the appointing authority, but if ever, will it help if former President Duterte is appointed as drug czar?)
Go also told Acorda not to allow the drug war launched under the Duterte administration to simply go to waste.
But Acorda, who has only been at the helm of the PNP for barely a month, said he is not sure if he is in a position to answer the senator’s question.
“I don’t know if I can comment on that, and what would be the setup, but anything on the campaign against illegal drugs, I will be supportive,” Acorda said.
Duterte’s war on drugs killed more than 6,000 drug suspects, according to government data.
Human rights groups, however, believe this figure could reach up to 30,000 if it includes in the tally the victims of vigilante-style killings.
The erstwhile president and his former police chief – panel chair Sen. Ronald dela Rosa – are among the subjects of an investigation by the International Criminal Court on alleged crimes against humanity under the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
Also being probed by the international tribunal are the purported killings of the so-called Davao Death Squad during Duterte’s term as city mayor.
The possibility of having Duterte as the anti-drug czar is not a new talking point.
Days before Duterte ended his six-year run as chief executive in June last year, Malacañang said he had declined the offer to lead the government’s anti-illegal drug efforts under the administration of his successor Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.