FILE PHOTO: Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa during a hearing of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs on May 20, 2024. Dela Rosa, who had led the Duterte administration’s controversial “drug war” as Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, is wishing the institution “good luck” on its recalibrated anti-drug campaign. (Bibo Nueva Espaٌa/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — As the Philippine National Police (PNP) changed its approach in its fight against illegal drugs, Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa had this to say to the police force he once headed: “I wish them good luck.”
“I hope and pray that they will succeed,” he added in a text message to reporters on Monday, when asked to comment on the PNP’s recalibrated anti-drug campaign.
Instead of focusing on street-level pushers and users, PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil on Sunday said they would now target the supply chain and sources of illegal drugs.
READ: Recalibrated anti-drug ops target sources, not people – PNP chief
Dela Rosa pointed out that when he was the PNP chief, they didn’t discriminate as to who they were going to arrest in their war on drugs.
“We were not selective in the implementation of the Dangerous Drugs Act. All violators of the law drug lords, drug pushers, drug traffickers, drug users were targeted in our anti-drug operations,” he further said.
Dela Rosa was at the helm of the PNP when the administration of then-President Rodrigo Duterte launched a ruthless war against illegal drugs.
Meanwhile, Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero and Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III backed the PNP’s new strategy against illegal drugs.
“From the start, we should have focused on the supply chain given that the raw materials for shabu and cocaine mostly come from abroad and I have always questioned why the PNP catches only the petty pushers and not a single (or several) big drug lord/s,” Escudero said.
“If the PNP succeeds in this, it will make the supply of drugs scarce and price prohibitive for new and old users and hopefully lower the prevalence of drugs and the number of drug users in the country,” the Senate chief added.
READ: PNP chief: Cops must ‘observe, preserve’ rights in revamped ‘drug war’
For his part, Pimentel specifically agreed with the PNP’s approach to target the suppliers of illegal drugs.
“Correct ‘yan. Target the ‘suppliers.’ Dyan mahahanap ang tunay na drug lords,” he said.
(That’s correct. Target the “suppliers.” That’s where you’ll find the real drug lords.)
Sen. Robin Padilla withheld his opinion on the issue, saying it still depends on the results of the new anti-drug drive.
“Ang mahalaga sa taongbayan ay wag maagaw muli ng mga siga, tamad, lasenggo at mga kriminal ang mga kalsada. Simple lang ang hinihingi ng taongbayan: law and order,” Padilla said.
(What is important to the public is that the streets are not taken over again by thugs, lazy people, drunks, and criminals. What the public is asking for is simple: law and order.)