Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Thursday defended the government’s war against illegal drugs amid fears of a possible backlash on the country’s image before the international community.
“Tandaan niyo po na we do not control the international community. For as long as we have a clear conscience, what are we worried about?” Pimentel said in an interview.
“What we are doing is law enforcement. Sa mata po ng publiko at sa mata ng administration, this is law enforcement because we have anti-illegal drugs laws. We have to enforce these to promote respect to the law,” he said.
“Huwag na po tayo masyadong mabahala sa coverage ng international community kasi hindi po natin iyon kontrolado. What is important is that we know what we are doing, and that what we are doing is in accordance with our own laws.”
Pimentel is president of PDP-Laban, which is being chaired by President Rodrigo Duterte.
Taking the floor on Wednesday, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano slammed the administration’s critics, particularly Sen. Leila de Lima, for allegedly discrediting the image of the country by insinuating that extrajudicial killings were rampant in the country.
READ: Cayetano hits ‘efforts to discredit’ Duterte: People feel safer now
Cayetano was Duterte’s running mate during the elections.
De Lima, chair of the Senate committee on justice and human rights, is conducting an investigation into the alleged extrajudicial killings and summary executions during the first two months of the Duterte administration./rga