Pacquiao: My fight vs drugs led to suspects’ arrests, not deaths

Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao said his own crusade against illegal drugs had led to the arrests of drug suspects, without killing them.

Pacquiao made this remark when he asked Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa during a hearing of the Senate committee on public order on the government’s intensified campaign against illegal drugs.

“Alam nyo (You know) before this administration, I’ve been spending my own money to fight [these] illegal drugs. Gumagastos ako ng malaki para lang tulungan ang ating mga kapulisan para sugpuin ang illegal drugs na yan (I’m spending a huge amount to help the police fight illegal drugs),” the neophyte senator said.

“May sarili din akong datos, actually pwede kong ibigay sa’yo, general, yung mga clippings ko dun, yung mga files ko dun. Yung mga pinahuli, hindi ko naman pinapatay, kundi pinahuli ko lang dahil namiminsala ng mga kabataan, no.”

(I have my own data, actually, I can give you, general, my clippings about it, my files against illegal drugs. Those arrested were not killed but were just nabbed because they destroy the lives of the youth.)

“Hindi pa ako umabot dun sa pag execute…(There were no executions)” Pacquiao added.

But he said his own records showed that there were policemen involved in the illegal drug activities. The senator then asked Dela Rosa if there were policemen involved in illegal drugs who had been charged in court.

The PNP chief earlier told the committee that there were 899 recorded deaths under investigation and 22 cases had been filed in court.

READ: Deaths ‘under investigation’ now at 899—Dela Rosa

Responding to Pacquiao’s query, Dela Rosa said no policeman has been charged in court yet, saying those charged so far were identified drug pushers. RAM/rga

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