Bishop alarmed by rash of drug suspect slayings

A BISHOP on Monday condemned the killings of hundreds of drug suspects just over a week after the Duterte administration assumed office.

Novaliches Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani said that killing drug suspects to solve the drug menace cannot be justified.

He said that law enforcers should respect human rights and adhere to the “due process of law.”

“You cannot do evil in order to achieve good. Hindi ka pwedeng gumawa ng mali para makamtan mo yung tama. Kapag gumawa ka ng mali nauna na yung mali sa tama at baluktot na kaagad ang pasimula. Kaya dapat, una, tayo ay may paggalang sa karapatang pantao. Ikalawa, sa karapatan ng tao dito sa Pilipinas na naaayon sa Konstitusyon,” Bacani said in Veritas Patrol interview.

The prelate also said that the police should not play the roles of accusers, judges and executioners.

“Hindi naman po kunan ng buhay o patayin ang tao na ang lilitis sa kanya at mag- aakusa sa kanya at magpapatupad ng hatol sa kanya iisa na lang. Hindi pwede yan,” Bacani added.

The Philippine National Police chief, Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, and Solicitor General Jose Calida on Monday vowed to protect police officers from congressional inquiries into the growing list of slain drug suspects.

“The people of the Philippines have had enough of the drug menace that is corrupting and destroying our youth and society. We will not allow anybody to derail this effort of the PNP and its officers to implement the order of our President to stop this drug trafficking menace in our society,” Calida said in a press briefing at Camp Crame.

Dela Rosa also rallied his men to continue on with its fight against drugs, as many drug suspects have already surrendered and died.

The PNP chief issued these pronouncements after Senator Leila de Lima said that she intends to launch an investigation into the killings of drug suspects.

De Lima, who is set to become the chair of the Senate committees on justice and human rights, said that her inquiry seeks to come up with operational guidelines for law enforcement agencies./ac /rga/ac