Marbil orders review of PNP’s anti-drug ops that involve human rights

This photo shows the illegal drugs approximately worth at least P23.4 million and other drug paraphernalia that were confiscated in a police buy-bust operation in Parañaque City on Saturday, May 27, 2023. (File picture from the PNP Southern Police District)

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Rommel Marbil on Wednesday ordered a comprehensive review of the agency’s previous and current drug policies, especially pertaining to human rights.

Marbil made the directive in line with the PNP’s “recalibrated” approach in its fight against illegal drugs.

“We need to take a hard look at our past and present strategies in the fight against illegal drugs. By understanding what worked and what didn’t, we can refine our approach and ensure a more effective and humane campaign moving forward,” Marbil said in a statement.

He announced the formation of a review panel to conduct this assessment, led by the Office of the Deputy Chief and the PNP for Operations.

The group will also include representatives from the PNP Quad Staffs, as well as the Internal Affairs Service and the PNP Human Rights Office.

“This review panel will bring together the key components of our police force to ensure a comprehensive and balanced evaluation. We want to make sure that all perspectives are considered, especially those that relate to upholding human rights and maintaining strong community relations,” Marbil said.

“This is about continuous improvement and accountability,” he pointed out.

“The insights we gain from this review will directly inform our recalibrated strategy, ensuring that our anti-illegal drugs campaign is not only effective but also aligned with the principles of justice and human rights.”

Marbil previously said the recalibrated approach now prioritizes targeting the sources and supply chains, rather than focusing on street-level pushers and users.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said police operations during his administration have been “humane, as truthful and as bloodless as possible.”

In his third State of the Nation Address, Marcos said that his “bloodless” drug war led to the seizure of more than P44 billion worth of illegal drugs and the arrest of more than 97,000 drug personalities in over 71,500 drug operations under his term.

However, authors of a recent research project based at the University of the Philippines in Diliman said they had recorded around 700 drug-related killings in the country since Marcos assumed office in mid-2022.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte was the chief architect of the bloody drug war which claimed at least 6,000 lives, according to official government data.

But human rights watchdogs and the International Criminal Court estimated the death toll under Duterte’s drug war to be between 12,000 and 30,000 from 2016 to 2019 alone, as they noted that several of these are extrajudicial killings.